The Matsubaran Incident
by Piccylo
Summary: There was a highly controversial mystery, wherein ninja across the continents were detained in an undocumented prison for reasons unexplained. Kakashi was one of the lucky ones. His last teammate, Rin, was not. Series of one-shots. Kakashi/Rin
1. Kunai String Monthly, Issue No 64

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I am not affiliated with Viz, Shonen Jump, Toei, Disney, or Kishimoto in the least. Rated for torture, violence, controversial topics, sexual abuses and conducts, profanity, drugs (alcohol is not planned, but is possible considering my track record) and general horror and psychological twisting.

This is a series of one-shots related to _The Matsubaran Incident_ and events based around it. If you have read Skull Prison, the file Sasuke read on Kakashi is actually referencing the incident itself. As such, since Kakashi and Rin are the only canon characters that experienced the incident first hand, most of the one shots will pertain to them directly. There will be some that do not.

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_This article was featured in the international ninja periodical "Kunai String Monthly" which deals with and reports on many global topics and has over 49,000 subscribers. It was researched and authored by various staff members of the periodical and published in Issue #64._

_The Matsubaran Incident_ refers to an unexplained series of events in Tanima no Kuni (Land of Valleys) by the mountain Matsubaran-zan and the valley it shoulders. The time of this incident, according to some reports, could have spanned up to five years or more, and mostly took place within the walls of a small, undocumented prison facility hidden within the base of Matsubaran-zan itself. These occurrences are surrounded by conflicting reports, missing documentation, political confusion, and puzzling circumstances, making it a very notable mystery. It ended with a major and highly-publicized unexplained event on June 15, Year 203* when the prisoners were "released", but subsequent investigations have come across bizarre occurrences of their own and are often lumped into the mystery. It is a popular controversy even today, and is the subject of many conspiracy theories pertaining to the ninja governments.

**The Prison**

It isn't unusual for ninja to disappear from their hidden village; in fact, each village has its own standard procedure when one of their ninja comes up unaccounted for according to certain circumstances. Because of this, most of the reports of the ninja that went missing did not attract a good deal of attention further than placing the ninja on "missing-nin" status and alerting their own jounin elite. The victim ninja most often disappeared during a mission, quite suddenly leaving a post without notice to their leader, or even after already having finished the mission and on their way back to base. It also was not unusual for pairs or even whole cells to be taken. The victims were never civilians. Only high-ranked shinobi have been confirmed, the lowest known rank among them being a veteran chuunin.

All were placed in a prison facility within the craggy base of Matsubaran-zan, adjacent to the Eastern shoulder of the valley. Reports suggest that the facility would have been difficult to build without the use of earth-based jutsu. Its entrance was largely obscured by the overgrowth of whisk fern for which the mountain was named. The ninja report no memory of actually being seized, although they might remember events proceeding it, suggesting they were rendered unconscious before taken, and first wake up within their cells, already stripped of their effects and clothed in rags.

None of the ninja were able to use any jutsu involving chakra control, which they identified as being caused by advanced seals on their chakra that they believe were made while they were unconscious. Some have managed—through secret training, long reworking of the seals, and already superior chakra control—to regain some use of chakra, but never to the extent that they could escape. If any prisoner was discovered to have been getting past the seal, a new seal was made.

The prison cells were stone, 2.8 meters long from the door, 2.0 meters wide, and 1.8 tall. The walls were approximately one meter thick. It is unknown why the ceilings were so low, as the hallway connected to them appeared to have normal height, but it has been theorized that the difference in height was also about a meter, so it might have been for security. The cells had no windows or light; even the doors are completely sealed of light while closed. The only opening other than the door in each cell was a hole, twenty centimeter's wide, where a wall meets the floor. This hole was shared with the cell that also shares the wall and connected to a sewer system. There was a metal grate within the hole that separated the cells as an added security measure. If a prisoner occupied both cells, they were allowed to converse through the hole.

The guards that tended to the facility did not appear to be ninja themselves, although it was suggested that ninja might have been staffed, though the affiliation of the ninja is unknown. Indeed, the operation appeared to have no outright political or military ties to the prisoners. There were interrogations and verbal abuses, but they didn't seem to favor one viewpoint over another outside of "the opposite of whatever the captive was" and accents varied. Some of the tortures used seemed to be of Kirigakure style, although the prison itself seemed to be similar to Iwagakure-nin bases in construction, and the seals often used were more indicative of Konohagakure and Otogakure; the mesh itself has brought up a high amount of debate.

Although the guards frequently accused the ninja of various crimes, the crimes they accused them of were not always the same, and any requests of clarification by the prisoners on why they were being held or what their crimes were had largely been ignored.

**The Prisoners and Their Treatment**

All prisoners were tortured and placed through interrogation procedures. Methods varied from prisoner to prisoner, generally relying on their elemental affinity (for instance, lightning-based ninja mostly underwent lacerative tortures with wounds to open air, whereas an earth-based ninja would undergo a great deal of electroshock torture) and held very little schedule. Feeding was also infrequent and starvation was sometimes used in trying to punish or break inmates. Male prisoners were only tortured in the interrogation room.

Captive kunoichi underwent worse procedures than their male counterparts. They could be tortured at any time, both in the interrogation room and in their own cells. Guards also were allowed to take advantage of them in their cells, and frequently did; every surviving kunoichi reported that they had been raped at least once by the guards, sometimes in midst of torture. Males heavily outnumbered them by the time they were released (they had a far smaller ratio compared to the ratio of male-female in ninja ranks despite all other ratios being representative), suggesting they were more prone to being killed through these conditions. It is unconfirmed if any male prisoners endured similar treatment.

At the end of the incident, there were 28 prisoners counting the kunoichi killed shortly before they were freed. Of these, there were at least two of every hidden village or ninja country, including shinobi from Tanima no Kuni itself. Investigations suggest that there could have been as many as 600 prisoners through the duration of the prison's function.

Most information that isn't classified, heavily censored, or damaged/destroyed that deals with the patterns of prisoner switching and death has been obtained from a Kirigakure ninja (his name has been censored from most official documents) who had been captured in January of Year 198. This makes him the longest survivor in the prison at five years and four months, the next one being a Kusa-nin at two years and four months. According to him, prisoners tended to die at about an average of two-to-three months, usually due to self-induced starvation, and rarely changed cells, only freed them up. Women did tend to be removed permanently from cells more quickly than men, usually after being unresponsive for an extended period of time following a brutal rape. There was one instance he reports a woman who had been impregnated during her incarceration and was starting to show before her death.

Due to the intense sensory deprivation, all victims have been afflicted with lasting, if not permanent psychological damage, which will be addressed later in the article. During their imprisonment, they all reported various hallucinations, starting as early as the first forty-eight hours of consciousness. Many ninja retreated into their own safe delusions, while others were continually haunted with waking nightmares and frequently relived battles they fought. Sometimes the dementia could become so violent that they harm unknowingly harm and even kill themselves.

If they were lucky, they had additional stimuli provided by the companionship of someone who might share an adjacent cell. As such, those who did have that luxury became inseparably close to their fellow prisoner, even if they were sworn enemies from rival nations before. There were peace agreements signed and even a few marriages from this camaraderie as a result.

On June 8, Year 203, all remaining prisoners had their last torture session and were officially told they would be publicly executed in a week's time and were granted each granted one final request. Different staff seemed to handle the prisoners from that time forward, and they kept to their word on granting any final request they found reasonable. No torture occurred during that week, and the women were not raped. On June 14, each prisoner was taken from their cell, cleaned, and were given the clothes they were originally obtained in including their hitai-ate, although they were not given any weapons or tools.

**Invitations**

Throughout the month of May in Year 203, various leaders on the continent received strange cards inviting them to something titled as a "Gallows Party", signed by the Daimyo of Tanima no Kuni. It is important to note that, during this time, the country didn't have a daimyo; there had been a great deal of internal political strife and the last Daimyo, Sekiban Tonbo, had stepped down to avoid civil war.

_The Country of Valleys cordially invites you and any guests you may bring to our Gallows Party. We would be honored to have your presence to our show of exciting and professionally performed executions, all guaranteed to be authentic and righteous. Seats overlooking the proceedings from above will be reserved for you._

_Sake, Hors d'oeuvres, and Dinner_

_Fifteenth of June, four o'clock in the afternoon_

_Valley of Matsubaran-zan (Open air)_

_Quite sincerely yours, The Valley Daimyo_

Among those who received this invitation were the daimyo of other countries, including former Daimyo Sekiban Tonbo, the Kages of the five great ninja nations, major ninja leaders of other hidden villages, and some high ranked aristocrats and ninja clan elders. Citizens of Tanima no Kuni, including their ninja, heard often by flyers, newspaper articles, and sometimes rumor about a large, open celebration that was to take place by Matsubaran-zan, but there was no real agreement concerning what sort of celebration it was, even among those who have heard about or seen the official invitations.

Although there had been an increase of ninja disappearances up to this point across the continent, no one had linked suspicions that this was connected with the upcoming event.

**The Gallows Party**

On June 15, Year 203, a platform was erected in front of a clearing and some elevated seats in the valley that Matsubaran-zan shouldered. Although there was a lot of distaste for the highly publicized but nonetheless unexplained invitations, there was still a large turnout, mostly of locals, who came to Matsubaran-zan out of curiosity. Similarly, although many of the officials that were invited declared against being manipulated by some cocky anonymous note-sender, others still came, including daimyo (although the daimyo that came brought their personal guard) and all five kages.

"By the time four o'clock came by," said a woman who witnessed the event, "The whole valley seemed completely packed with people."

When the time came, the invited officials in the bleachers were served sake and hors d'oeuvres by some hired caterers and told that dinner would come later.

Meanwhile, the prisoner ninja were being taken out of their holding cells in the prison complex. Although none of them remember going in, and were often hooded when taken out of their cells for interrogation and hygiene, they had never been brought through the length before. All mention how many checkpoints they had to go through while being flanked by guards, even kept chained the whole way.

They were taken out of the complex into open air in this formation, and most of the ninja were stunned from suddenly being introduced to sunlight since this was the first time they had seen any for a while, up to years for some. At this point, there is a bit of a divide in accounts, most likely since the prisoners were all very distracted from the sudden stimuli. It is disagreed on whether or not all prisoners were in chains or not… an important point since two ninja somehow managed to escape at this time. They were the only two shinobi from Konohagakure that had been captured and survived in the prison. They managed to use jutsu to fend off the guards and ran for the woods to escape, but one was retaken by the guards and the other, Yagami Rin, a student of the Yondaime Hokage, had to be apprehended by the ninja staff. The attempt seemed to have been organized, a highly debated point as sources indicate the two had no contact with one another since they were captured.

The procession of captured ninja continued to the stage. The crowd began to get restless at this point, and the officials watching from the raised seats were puzzled and offended at the sight. The kage and leaders of other ninja villages had recognized their missing ninja among the procession and were becoming alarmed.

There wasn't time between the guards to discuss which ninja should go first, so the ninja staff that had apprehended Yagami Rin forced her execution in the beginning, hanging her from the noose and dropping her body below the stage. As the next ninja being taken to the gallows fought against his captors, the kage and village leaders interfered and attacked the guards and staff ninja on the stage, immediately setting to action in freeing their missing ninja and trying to apprehend the ones responsible. The Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, lead the attack as the kunoichi that had been executed was one of his own.

The crowd went into chaos at this and some guards managed to escape in the confusion. Most of the guards were killed by cloaked staff ninja, their former captives, or angry village leaders and outside ninja, so few were actually arrested or captured. The ones that were captured shortly afterward committed suicide or died mysteriously. The staff ninja had all escaped but one, who chose to self-immolate in a fire jutsu rather than be discovered.

It took several hours to retain order in the area after the execution. Most of the public officials fled to avoid any danger from the resulting mob, but the massive amount of ninja present working together on ending the matter had ended the possibility of a riot. The only daimyo to stay until the end was of Fire Country.

**Aftermath**

None of the countries would come forward and admit that they had anything to do with the incident, Valley especially since their government wasn't even in stable condition at the moment. Although the experience did bring ninja who were involved into a more lenient view of each other in respect to their countries, there was a great mistrust that rose from the incident, as there wasn't a clear enemy to rally against. Conspiracy theorists suspected that this was a result of the ninja world's way of doing things, through clandestine military operations and inhumane interrogation practices. However, no theories, official or otherwise, have been able to address every point: why they chose Matsubaran-zan in Tanima no Kuni, why they chose the specific ninja that they did, why they kept them for so long, what purposes they interrogated for, and why they chose to execute them in the fashion that they did, most likely knowing that the event would be interfered considering their invitations.

The ninja that survived showed varying degrees of recovery. The ones who stayed for years and ones who were not psychologically strong (either by lack of training or by preexisting mental imbalance) were no longer fit for duty and had to be discharged. Many of them had great difficulty reintegrating into society, and the worst cases couldn't even function in everyday life. There was a suicide and an accidental death as a result, so others were highly moderated in their hospitals for their own protection. Many chose to quit being ninja, while others took leave for long periods of time. Those who did return to active duty showed a decrease in accuracy, speed, and tolerance of external stimuli and social interaction even after complete physical recovery.

There was a change in many ninja laws across the continent as the result of what happened. The missing-nin laws granted the largest amount of change, where more effort was put into finding ninja that had disappeared or defected to either rescue them or dispose of them. Tanima no Kuni destabilized shortly afterwards and abolished their already dissolving ninja village in favor of reconstructing a new one, though they have not decided on a village symbol as of yet. Peace talks and treaties gained a different pressure between the governments that both strained relations as well as forced leaders to consider possible interpretations of their actions in light of the incident. Kirigakure had the most change as a result among the five major villages, as this forced their laws concerning cruel methods of training ninja to become more lax, a breath of fresh air after what had happened during their Yondaime Mizukage's reign.

Ever since, there has been a drive to discover what might have been behind the whole thing. However, the complex had mostly been destroyed afterward by the escaped ninja staff and their documents were either missing or burned for the most part. Some of the documents had been obtained by the various countries and are now highly classified material. Very little of what has been discovered has been brought to light, furthering any dissenting feelings and further fueling the debate and theories that surround what had happened.

*_The tenth year after the Kyuubi attack in Konohagakure._

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Matsubaran – Japanese for "whisk fern".

I had to do a lot of research for this, so it took a while for me to finish.  
Do you think there are inconsistencies with "Skull Prison" here? Because there isn't... :)


	2. Books are Good Buffers

Disclaimer: See the first one.

Yeah, I didn't expect this to be popular; _Skull Prison_ sure wasn't. I'm mostly writing all this for the amusement of writing it, and for the experience it offers. This chapter should be easier to read.

* * *

How can people stand all this noise?

Kakashi turned again in his hospital bed, direly wishing he could rip out the pipes gurgling water through his room, or lock his door and shove a towel underneath it, or at least yell at the people that went about their lives outside his open window that he couldn't bear to close. It wasn't that he couldn't handle all of the noise… he just didn't _want_ to. It grated in that one spot on his nerves right between annoyance and intolerance, and he was biting into his mask to keep from making a big deal about it.

It was nice to be in an actual bed for a change, but did he have to be stuck in a _hospital_ of all places? Of course he did; that was a stupid question and he felt like an idiot every time he asked it to himself. He was malnourished, drained, bruised, beaten, had several infections, and a hole in his back made by a kama to top it all off. Right now might've been the best he'd felt in months, but he was so sore and weak it took effort to get up and walk around for an extended period of time. Still… he couldn't help but to hate it. Hospitals were places of pain. They were where he went when Rin couldn't heal him, either being gone on her own mission or his condition beyond her help. And he hadn't stayed in the hospital for more than a few nights for years; he just stayed at Rin's apartment if something lingered, like overusing the Sharingan.

So being in a hospital like this meant one thing to him: Rin really is gone.

He spent a lot of his first few days here regretting what had happened, and what decisions he had made. He wasn't able to protect Rin in the least, and those three months were more hell for her than they was for him. The only thing she could do was to get used to it, to grin and bear it, and to grasp hold of any positive, no matter how minute or low, that she could find. In the end, he couldn't do a single thing for her. Even his final request he couldn't think of anything, instead selfishly marrying her and taking away her final request as well.

Pale and scarred, dressed in an ANBU uniform that had become too big for her, she was still a beautiful bride in his opinion. Maybe he should have stopped the ceremony, but he couldn't; he cherished the look on her face too much and there was no way she'd let him say "no" there. Maybe he should have stopped her when she kissed him on that blanket on the floor… Yes he definitely should have then. It would have been kinder for her, to keep her from forcing herself to be touched after what happened, just to give him one night. It was a night that she knew could be their last, but that didn't mean he should've taken advantage of it.

_Damn fine way to protect her, Kakashi. If Obito could come back, he'd stab you in his own eye for this._

All right, that's an exaggeration. Kakashi tried his damnedest to get the two of them out of there. He just didn't succeed; the enemy was cunning and he wasn't strong enough to overcome it. If there weren't ninja in those woods, Rin would've escaped without any trouble and he'd likely be the one in that noose. On the other hand, if they didn't try to escape, maybe Rin wouldn't have been dragged out in front to be the first—and only—prisoner executed. Was it better to die for standing up than to stay quiet in your chains to live?

Kakashi turned over again and looked at the ceiling. Okay, he couldn't just lie here all day, even if he can't move around. He sat up and snatched the book Jiraiya had brought earlier from the table. He'd read _Icha Icha Paradise_ before, but he didn't like it much then; he preferred Jiraiya's first book far better. However, when Jiraiya visited him he brought it by as a present to alleviate Kakashi's boredom and try to lift his spirits… he even gave him a couple more books he didn't write so that it didn't seem like he was forcing him to read his work. Kakashi had finished the other books, so this was all that was left.

The sun was setting, elongating the shadows in the room and tinging them slightly red by the time Kakashi heard Tenzo's voice calling him. "Kakashi-senpai?"

"Hn?" He finally looked up from Jiraiya's novel; he was already halfway done. "How long have you been standing there, Tenzo?"

"A minute or so… you didn't hear me for a little while. Is that book so interesting?"

"I suppose it is." Kakashi looked down again and shut the book.

"Ah, you didn't have to close it like that on my account. You'll lose your place without marking the page you were on."

"I'll just find it again. What's up?"

Tenzo smiled and sat in the nearby chair. "I just thought I should drop by. You know, Yuugao and I were very worried about you and Rin-san. Hokage-sama _did_ put out a search for you, since he couldn't believe either of you would defect from the village, but we couldn't come up with anything. You were even declared dead a month ago. Not that we gave up hope, but…" His smile fell and he dropped his head. "…It was just taking more manpower than we could spare, and the Sandaime didn't want it to turn into a personal mission."

"You don't need to explain yourself, Tenzo. I understand. With all the mystery surrounding the whole thing, and with how long such an operation seems to have had to run, I can hardly blame the Hokage or any of you for what happened… except…" Kakashi shook his head. "…I just wish they had interfered at that 'Gallows Party' a little sooner."

Tenzo frowned and he struggled a moment to think of something to say. "What was the experience like, Kakashi-senpai? I've been in holding cells and such before, but that was mostly in training. You don't seem to be that much worse for wear, like I've heard other captives had been."

Kakashi found that he didn't like being referred to as a "captive", but it wasn't like there was any better word. "The training helps with enduring it. They didn't do sleep deprivation… I admit there are times where events seem a little fuzzy, though. Some starvation, but it was mostly rationing and not hard to endure. There was a lot of torture and interrogation—they were very adamant about that, even though a lot of the interrogation didn't seem to make sense. But it was mostly sensory deprivation. Small cell, no light, thick door and walls."

"Sensory deprivation…" Tenzo nodded with a somber look on his face. "I remember reading about the long term effects in the academy and during psychological training. I definitely see why so many of the ninja that came out of that couldn't function anymore after months of that."

"Like I said, the training helps. Plus, I was lucky; Rin was in a connecting cell, and she helped me cope. We talked, passed the time together, and she even managed to hide away a small light from the guards for us to use. I don't think there was a topic of conversation we didn't cover. There were times I felt fed up with her voice, and other times that I wished she wasn't in a joining cell since I could hear when the guards came in to torture her, but whenever she _wasn't_ there… It's just unbelievable how much of a difference that can be."

"There were times when she was taken out of her cell?"

He nodded. "For both of us. That's when we were tortured and interrogated."

"But, you just said that they tortured her in her own cell."

There was a silence. "…They did _a lot_ of things to her in her own cell."

Tenzo's eyes widened in understanding and a painful lump formed in his throat. He didn't know how to respond to that; even though it was statistically likely that something like this would happen, he never imagined having it happen to someone he knew, let alone someone he knew that had recently been killed on top of that. And here he was, making his senpai—a witness to the whole thing—relive the experience. "I'm sorry."

"There's no need for apologies, Tenzo; I'm just telling you what happened. If I didn't want to answer, I wouldn't have, and if I could endure three months of living it, I won't have any trouble with a few minutes of talking about it. I even detailed it all in a report to the Hokage yesterday."

"Eh? They're actually making you _work_?"

"No one made me; Hokage-sama requested it, and I delivered. I was bored out of my mind, anyway, and it helped take my mind off the noise of this hospital."

Tenzo never thought of the hospital as being particularly noisy, but he didn't mention it. "So do you think you'll be going back into active duty any time soon?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I might take a month leave after I get out of here, to get back into shape. Sooner rather than later just seems best. However… I think I'll quit ANBU for now. Maybe get a fresh team rather than fill an empty spot." Kakashi smiled so that his eye curled. "Maybe I'll even luck out and _not_ have to be captain for a while."

The kohai smiled back, trying not to linger on the fact that his team was now, effectively, dissolved because of what happened, because his senpai that always kept a cool and practical viewpoint didn't want to replace the closest person to him. Or maybe he was still being practical; he might not be up to ANBU duties even after a month of therapies and retraining. "You might end up being made a sensei instead."

"Hn?" Kakashi thought on that a moment seriously. "Maybe. Who knows?"

Tenzo was actually joking when he said that, but on second thought, he decided Kakashi wouldn't be a bad sensei. Tenzo certainly learned from him by being under his command.

In the pause that followed, Kakashi considered for a moment telling him what had happened before the end: Kakashi's impromptu marriage with Rin. It only seemed proper that he should know about it, even though it didn't amount to anything and it changed absolutely _nothing_. Still, they were all comrades. "There's another thing…"

Two porcelain-masked men in cloaks silently entered, stealing away Kakashi's attention. Tenzo turned to look at them himself. One of them was in a normal ANBU cloak and a cat-like mask, but the other had the uniform more matching the Root division underneath. "Otomatsu-san?"

"Ah, Tenzo-san. We don't mean to cut your visit with Kakashi-san short, but we must speak with him regarding some sensitive matters on his experience." The normal ANBU made a slight bow, though the Root didn't budge. "I hope you don't mind."

Tenzo raised a brow, but he stood and smiled regardless. "That's fine." He turned back to Kakashi. "I'll be sure to bring Yuugao with me next time I come. She wanted to come today but she had business with Hayate and his family."

"Really? Those two are moving quickly. Ah, then again I'm still thinking of three months ago. That sounds good; I'll see you later."

Tenzo made a nod and exited, though he did give the Root ANBU a look as he passed.

When the three were alone, Kakashi sighed and regarded his new visitors with a deadpan stare. "Is there something you wanted to ask me, Otomatsu? I figured I put enough detail in my report to the Hokage yesterday."

"The detail is good enough, although it's confusing," Otomatsu started, "You see, we've gotten a hold of some of the documents from that prison. We've been comparing them with your accounts, and your information has been invaluable in filling the holes."

"There are contradictions, though," the Root cut in coldly. The first ANBU turned towards him.

"Contradictions?" Kakashi wouldn't see where there'd be contradictions; other than the questions during interrogation, the dates (which he found out was off by a week by the time he left, but he made sure to mention that) and the feeding times, "life" in that place was otherwise pretty consistent.

"Maah, maah, you don't need to get into that yet," Otomatsu said to his companion, "It's going to be a shock to him. Let's lead up to that part, all right? Kakashi-san, the truth is, even with the information we've gathered, we still don't seem to be any closer to figuring out the reason or the perpetrators. You described the guards as being of various nationalities. How about the ninja?"

"I didn't see the ninja until the end, and they were cloaked and didn't speak so I couldn't tell."

"I see. You weren't aware that some of the staff in the interrogation rooms were ninja, then?"

"Were they?" Kakashi frowned under his mask. That would make sense; they seemed to know more about interrogation and torture than the guards that came into Rin's cell. However he rarely even saw them, himself usually hooded through those experiences. "I don't know their nationalities either, in that case; I never saw their faces. They had different accents, but…" Kakashi thought hard on it a moment. "They did share terms between them more than the normal guards did. Like they had been working together for a while."

"What sort of terms?" The Root ANBU pressed. Otomatsu sighed at his forwardness.

"Let me remember… the word 'yuurei' was used a lot whenever they were talking about documents. I was under the impression that was the name of their filing system. Hn… might have had something to do with paper members or fake organizations. They talked about reporting to the 'dajare'. Never figured out if they were talking about a superior with a funny name or if it stood for something else."

"Can you think of anything else, Kakashi-san?"

He shook his head. "Not at the moment; it was mostly method of phrases, anyway. I can report it if any come to mind. So is that all you wanted to know? Are you going to ask me about that contradiction now?"

Otomatsu looked to the side, as if upset. "It's a bit difficult. Um, you said you had experienced a lot of hallucinations during the your capture, correct?"

"Yes. I did."

"And they would get very realistic, right? To the point it might be difficult separating reality from illusion?"

Kakashi's brows furrowed. "Well… yes, but I know that not all my experience was illusion. I probably confirmed some things from those files you'd obtained, didn't I?"

"You did, so we know that most of your words are truth and free of delusion. However there is the matter of Rin-san…"

"What about her?"

The Root cut in again. "The documents we managed to acquire indicate multiple times that you had no visual, physical, or auditory contact with Yagami Rin."

Kakashi didn't understand the words he said or what he was implying for a few seconds, and when it hit him he nearly choked. "What?"

Otomatsu berated the Root. "You didn't have to put it like that!"

"What do you mean I had no contact with Rin? She was in the cell next to mine. I heard her voice everyday, saw her face after she stole that small electric light. We even got _married_. I couldn't have imagined all of that, could I?"

"You must understand, Kakashi-san," Otomatsu continued in sympathetic tones, "The files simply state otherwise. The two of you weren't even in the same wing of the prison, let alone connected. And there was a brief mention about your final request that you say in your report was to marry her… the documents have you on the list of those who _denied_ their final request."

"That can't be." Kakashi felt weak, but his voice remained curt. "There has to be a mistake. The documents have to be wrong."

"Considering the convergence of intelligence we have on the incident otherwise, there is more inclination to think that the files are right in this regard," the Root said, "The files state that you and Yagami Rin did not have connected cells; they imply that the cells actually connected to yours and Rin's cells were both empty throughout the duration of your incarceration. There is no contradiction in the files, just from your report."

Kakashi shook his head. He couldn't believe that; it didn't make any sense. Of all the things to contradict… "So you're trying to say that I hallucinated all my interactions with Rin."

"That would be the conclusion," the Root answered simply. Otomatsu sighed again and looked to the floor.

"I see. Well, if that's all, then I suppose you're done with me. It's been good seeing you, Otomatsu."

"Kakashi-san, please." Otomatsu held up his hands. "We just want to know how you managed to plan that escape with her if you didn't speak during the three month period. We thought maybe you replaced the memory of the method with fabrications and were hoping we could jog your memory of it by telling you the truth."

"I'm actually a telepath," he answered flatly, "We conspired by magically projecting our thoughts to one another."

"Like the Yamanaka clan?" Apparently the members of Danzo's foundation aren't taught such subtle humor.

"There's no need to be _sarcastic_…" Otomatsu said, exasperated.

"We're finished with this conversation, Otomatsu," Kakashi said, laying back in his bed and looking out the window. "You can leave now."

"…" Otomatsu bowed. "I wish you a quick recovery from your injuries, Kakashi-san." The ANBU left together.

Listening to their footsteps until they dwindled to too soft for his ears and mixed with the other hospital patrons, Kakashi kept his eye trained on the sky outside until he was sure his visitors were long gone. He was glad to be rid of them; the Root shuffled his feet around awkwardly and it grated on Kakashi's ears. He didn't think on what they said, because he didn't want to think about such things. Instead, he pulled up Jiraiya's book and slowly flipped from the beginning to find where he'd left off and continued reading.

Then he laughed.

He didn't remember the book being so funny, but for some reason the perverted romantic comedy really hit him well this time around. Maybe he was able to enjoy and relate more with the playful frustrations between the main protagonist and the girl he was chasing, or maybe he was just happy to have something cheer him up and make him chuckle. Even the plot was pretty good… good enough for him to be disappointed when he reached the end, knowing that, with how it ended, this was just the first installment of a series Jiraiya must have been setting up to write. When did he plan on writing the next one?

The sun was long since buried under the horizon, so he turned the lights on. They hummed to life and, instead of getting annoyed at the sound, Kakashi merely turned to the first page of his book and started all over again.

* * *

Yuurei – ghost, phantom. This word is used to describe "fakes" that only exist on paper but have no substance, like yuureibuin (paper member who never shows up at meetings to their club), yuureishain (bogus employee), or yuureigaisha (bogus/paper company).  
Dajare – pun.


	3. Hiramekarei

Disclaimer: Check the first chapter plox.

Did you want solidarity in how these were written? That they would at least be grouped well in terms of geography or linear in timeline? Well YOU'RE WRONG. Seriously, I haven't even been consistent in writing style thus far; you should know better. Now, _have some Kirigakure!_

* * *

Terumii Mei had to endure many difficult trials after becoming Godaime Mizukage as a result of the Bloody Mist that she had to clean up. It was truly unfortunate that whatever had manipulated the young Yagura had left a strong mark and a bad taste for the ninja of Kirigakure. They've had to endure a lot… all of them. She had to endure the persecution of ninja with Kekkei Genkai in the village, herself having both Lava Release and Boil Release. She was chosen to show that they were trying to get _away_ from what had happened in the past, and she worked as hard as she could to correct what had been done.

It was difficult. Maybe it was time to start cooperating with other countries.

Mei was able to bring some personal experience to her work in restoring the trust of the remaining ninja within Kiri with her position. She kept smiling and, though she couldn't keep an engagement down, had succeeded in any accomplishment that would ever be put before a kunoichi. She could be respected… indeed, she _was_ respected, even if she didn't feel that way sometimes. However, her personal experience could only go so far. There were just some things she was lucky enough to not have to endure.

Her latest worry was with Choujuurou. He was definitely a good candidate to become one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Kiri, graduating with superb swordsman skills. She felt he would be a good inheritor of the Hiramekarei and, to be honest, the village really needed more active members of the Seven Swordsmen that _weren't_ missing-nin. However…

"Choujuurou," she greeted as she approached the edge of the training grounds. The young chuunin looked up from his practice with swinging the oversized wooden sword to the Mizukage in confusion, then looked down shyly.

"G-good morning… Mizukage-sama…"

She sighed with a smile. And here was the problem; Choujuurou was far too timid. If it weren't for those razor sharp teeth of his, he'd look like an unassuming young man with this thick-rimmed glasses and his soft, docile face. "I was wondering how your training was doing. Making progress I hope?"

"Of… of course…" He made an awkward nod as sweat ran down his temples that most likely didn't come from exertion.

"Do you think you'll be able to be the one to inherit Hiramekarei?"

The boy needed confidence; but how do you go about making sure he has that? There was nothing to work off of; his parents had seen the barbaric graduation rituals and had friends who had been in that unfortunate graduating class that Zabuza infamously slaughtered. They watched as other ninja later on would continue to find themselves subject to harsh training and sent on suicidal missions by the Yondaime Mizukage. And further more how ruthlessly the ninja who left would be hunted down with such strict rules that label them as "missing". Not to mention the protocols that ended in his mother's death during a mission. In the end, they perceived that the brash, cocky attitude the ninja would obtain in order to better cope with the difficulty of the situation had doomed them, setting off the younger Zabuza, allowing Yagura (or whoever controlled him) to think that people were content with how things were, continuing the staunch hatred for those with kekkei genkai and strict rules of exile, desertion, and AWOL classification. So Choujuurou was isolated from other ninja as he trained, isolated to the point of being nearly incapable of even talking to others, even to the few friends he had to struggle to gain. He came out as more than excessively humble.

A few people would say that treatment was worse than what _could_ have happened, but it's hard to say that to a father who just want his child to be safe. It was a miracle that his swordsmanship grew at all and that others had managed to notice it. Apparently becoming one of the Seven Swordsman was the one dangerous goal that his father agreed to and heavily nurtured. Excelling in kenjutsu turned to be the one real hobby and aspiration Choujuurou had.

"You've been working very hard," she pressed.

"I… I don't know really… There are so many others that are strong…"

She shut her eyes and the edge of her mouth quirked up a bit. _Of course_.

"…but…"

She opened her eyes.

"…I think I… probably… that I can defeat them."

Mei rose a brow and quirked her head, sizing him up newly. He scratched his cheek nervously, wondering if he said something he shouldn't have. Mei smiled broadly and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I am confident that you can do it, Choujuurou. Just keep training hard, okay?"

A great grin grew on his face that almost seemed to curl into his reddened cheeks. "…I won't let you down, Mizukage-sama!"

_You'd better not._ It was time to consult the last wielder of Hiramekarei.

.-.-.

"We need to talk, Joubin."

"Hmm?" The large ex-ninja gave the impression that he was looking down at her from the top of his doorway. "Do we now, Mizukage-sama? Again? I think you come to bother me more often than you go to the council. Why do you think I have anything to say to you?"

Her brows knit even though she kept her smile; she didn't need this nonsense _again_.

"You act like your words and experiences have amounted to nothing in reshaping Kiri. We all know that it was your words and testimony you let circulate so freely that instigated so many of the changes in the village. You can't deny that things have been getting better because of you."

"I think you just use these drop-ins as an excuse to not explain why you're still unmarried at your age, old maid."

Her smile kept, but she still answered him with acid dripping through every syllable. "I'll really kill you if you don't shut up. Are you going to talk to me or not?"

He sneered his piranha-like row at her, but he moved to the side and allowed her to enter.

Suguri Joubin was a mountain of a man. Hitting just over two hundred centimeters in height, Mei always remembered him as a strong, broad-shouldered soldier who stood straight and tall and his head held high while he carried his massive sword. He was always the silent type, though gruff and tending to bark rude suggestions to the other swordsmen that sounded more like orders. He was an orthodox, even _conservative_ man in respect to how he viewed the politics of the village, which, to him, boiled down to solid loyalty. But that was many years ago.

Though Joubin's frame retained it broadness, and he personally still held something close to loyalty for Kiri (much more than Kisame or Zabuza could say, at least), his great physique was permanently hunched over, and though he still towered over others, the stance gave off the impression that he was tired and slow. The impression wouldn't be wrong, either; his once lightning reflexes that held up his swordsmanship were a thing of the past, and he didn't have near the amount of chakra that he used to have.

This man was the longest survivor of the Matsubaran Incident, the one who had been captured during a snowy mission with two other Kiri-nin in January and had not seen a sliver of sunlight until May five years later. Within this interval of time he endured torture and a long imprisonment in a room that wasn't physically big enough for him, hardly even long enough for him to stretch out in. His comrades had both perished in the mountain prison… he even witnessed the death of one as she was in the cell he shared his hole with.

There's no doubt it ruined him. His life as a ninja was stolen from him for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

She thanked him and they sat. His house was large and open—few rooms were separated by walls—but cluttered with tall furniture of every sort, along with any other object Joubin decided to place on the many tables. There wasn't a single artificial lightsource, though there were large windows everywhere, all lacking curtains and blinds that could hinder the natural sunlight from streaming in. One never felt like they were actually inside a house while visiting him.

"So what do you want to ask me this time? More of my opinion on handling missing-nin? I think our hunter-nin are doing just fine this time about."

"Not at all, Joubin. I want to talk about Hiramekarei."

A pause. "...Hiramekarei, eh..." he pronounced the sword's name slowly, as if it meant something special and far away, then smiled. "...About time to be passed on, isn't it? That's good. I'm sure Hiramekarei has been bored, just sitting in the Mizukage's Palace like that. Though it's better to be in there than captured with me by the enemy; that would have destroyed Hiramekarei to be in a similar situation."

"There are a few candidates. One stands out in particular, but..."

"Something wrong with him? He's a good swordsman, right?"

"Oh, beyond a doubt. More than exceptional for his age. But it's his attitude that causes the problem."

He raised a brow in interest. Attitude was it? "That so? Who is this kid?"

"Choujuurou."

He made a full stop with the sort of look a father gets upon seeing his daughter with a the strange boy from her school plastered on his face. "That sniveling, sheltered _child?_"

Mei grinned. "I'm surprised. You recognize the name but you didn't know he was a candidate?"

"Of course I recognize the name," he said with a frown, then rose to his feet and went towards the kitchen area. "Let me get something to drink."

"Oh, I'll have tea, thank you."

He turned and glared at her, then decided it wasn't worth an argument and shrugged.

Soon, Mei was staring up from her cup in surprise at Joubin as he drained a bottle of sake. "Something like that really happened? I knew the Houzuki brothers were very adamant about becoming swordsmen and took on a lot of missions like that, but I didn't know…"

"Someone else had to be on those missions with them, and its best to be someone of close age and similar fighting style, right?" Joubin said with a scowl, "It was by queer luck that one of their B-class missions overlapped my S-class mission with Kizame, and it wasn't like we hadn't seen or heard about them before."

"And you remember this particular mission because of Kisame's treachery later, I suppose?"

He hummed a low, thoughtful growl for a long moment. "…Yes, but it's hard not to remember those kids. Suigetsu and Mangetsu were having fun with their enemies, even though their victims weren't fighting back. Funny to see such cute kids do things like dismember and decapitate his opponents while smiling so happily." The ex-ninja took another drink and leaned forward.

"Choujuurou, on the other hand, looked worried the whole time. Like things were going to fast. …Thinking back on it, that isn't too different from how I see things now. Everything runs like it's going too fast, so I guess I understand the feeling. I guess that comes from being so quarantined from others. He didn't freeze up, though; he swung his sword and even though there was nervousness in his cuts, he didn't hesitate. I remember not being as impressed about his behavior, then, but still he stuck out. I heard they started calling Suigetsu the Second Devil Zabuza after that, which didn't surprise me in the least."

"Yet you're surprised Choujuurou is a candidate for a sword?"

"Well, of course. I didn't think his sheltering, overprotective father would even let him out of the house after being on such a violent mission like that with those kids. He really stuck with being a swordsman, huh?"

"It's the only thing he has any confidence in. Too bad there's not enough of it to make up for his lack of confidence elsewhere."

He tilted his head down and stared for a long time, only holding his bottle. Mei turned a little concerned. "Joubin?"

"…How are his reflexes?"

"Umm… phenomenal."

"Strength?"

"Physically, he's as capable as any ninja."

"His stamina?"

"Could use a little work. He stays active at least."

Joubin continued to stare down. "…"

"Well?"

"So the only thing up with him is his personality, is it? Has he done proper psychological training?"

"Of course. Just because you might think some of the new practices are 'soft' doesn't mean that we don't prepare our ninja properly."

"And he's done well?"

She tried to think of it. "I haven't looked at the files, personally, but I know he was tested on it a month ago. Didn't see the results there, either."

"Too bad. Didn't happen to talk to him or see him fight before and after that test, did you?"

Her brows rose. Now she knew what he was getting at! "His attitude didn't change one way or the other, but his swordsmanship actually improved a little more afterward. He was pouring himself into training as soon as he got the chance."

After a while of silent consideration, during which Mei finished her tea and poured herself a second cup, a slow smirk tugged Joubin's lips.

"Hiramekarei would want someone who was a little flashier and had more confidence to wield her, because she likes having fun and I'm sure she's been bored. But… on the other hand, she deserves someone who can stay strong and faithful to her." He chuckled, hearing himself talk about the sword like it really was his daughter. "I think he's a fine choice, Mizukage-sama. A perfect choice. If my recommendation means anything, then…"

"If it didn't, I wouldn't have come." She grinned up at him from her cup. "What? You think I come here just because I enjoy talking to you?"

"Maybe you do. This might be the closest to a date with a man that you've had in a while."

She narrowed his eyes at him and bared her teeth through her smile. "I really will kill you if you talk like that, you know."

He laughed and threw back his bottle to drain it before getting up again. "Lets drink to your new swordsman, then. You can give my regards to the lucky boy later."

"We can toast one bottle and we're done. I've got other things to do."

"You sure do. You'd better tell him that I expect him to be good to my sword, too. Otherwise I'll be coming after him."

"And what could a washed up old ninja like you do to a strong young man like him, hmm?"

He huffed, bit back the obvious retort—she really might kill him if he tried the joke a third time—and went to heat up another bottle of sake.

.-.-.

Choujuurou was more than a little shocked when the bandaged, two-hilted sword was passed into his hands. He stifled a grunt as it bore down his arms with its weight and struggled a moment to keep it steady in his grasp. He knew it'd be hefty, this giant, bandaged, double-hilted fish, but he didn't imagine…

"…Really, Mizukage-sama?"

Mei smiled sunnily at him. "No one else has kenjutsu as worthy as yours, Choujuurou. You might be lacking a bit in guts, but I can tell you're not man that could be called a coward…" Her smile turned a little sarcastic. "Even if you go a little overboard with your modesty."

His cheeks turned as red as a dusty rose and he looked down at his new responsibility. It felt like a dream. A very _heavy_ dream, but a dream nonetheless.

"Do you accept Hirameikarei, Choujuurou?"

He looked up at her bashfully and in dumbstruck awe. She always treated him well, perhaps even a little doting in her attempts to push him forward. Would there be any better way to repay her kindness than to protect her? Seeing her smile at him like that caused butterflies to flutter in his stomach like he was still a schoolboy genin straight from the academy. She was definitely worth protecting to him.

Choujuurou put on the most confident smile he could muster and held up the sword before him before bowing to her respectfully. "I accept this sword, and I… I will not let you be disappointed in your decision, Mizukage-sama."

"Don't let her father be disappointed, either. He still regrets not being there for her."

"?" He raised a brow and his strength shook away a moment with the confusion. "…Father? …Whose father?"

Mei laughed and nodded her head, unsurprised. "I'm sure you'll understand when you're older."

* * *

When I wrote the article, I originally named the ninja who was in the prison the longest, but figured the information was superfluous and cut it. Then I decided I wanted to use the name anyway since I thought it was a superb name and shouldn't be wasted. I hope you all don't mind the OC or the speculation behind characters that have hardly been touched yet in the manga.


	4. CLASSIFIED RECORD FOR PRISONER NO 4166

Disclaimer: Please to view the first chapter for the proper disclaimer, hmm?

Merry Christmas.  
Woot! Reviews are awesome! Oh, also, you were right Krazed; Kakashi's mostly reacting because sensory deprivation causes those who endured it to have lower tolerance for stimuli; just his bad luck that hospitals are also naturally infuriating. And now for some classified documents. (Some of you are going to _hate_ me for using this style of writing… But I don't care because this was stupidly difficult to force the document managers to take.)

* * *

**CLASSIFIED RECORD FOR PRISONER # 4166**

A-CLASS DOCUMENT. ONLY THOSE WITH A-CLASS ACCESS OR ABOVE CAN VIEW.

THIS DOCUMENT RANGES FROM C TO S CLASSIFICATION.

_(19/4/203)Tora: Requesting D-CLASS document to be made._

_(22/4/203)Kondoru: Don't make pointless requests. D-Class requires the identity to be completely censored, and everyone knows who Sharingan no Kakashi (or his father the White Fang) is._

_(23/4/203)Rega: Yeah, a D-Class of this would just be a blank page covered with black lines and redactions. Besides, all the guards already know._

_(24/5/203)Oniisama: Don't make pointless comments on official documents, here or in the text._

**PRISONER INFORMATION**

**NAME**: Hatake Kakashi **SEX**: Male **AGE**: 23 **DOB**: 5/9/179 **BLOOD**: O

**HAIR**: Gray **SKIN**: White **EYES**: Black (right- natural) Red (left- Sharingan implant; permanently active)

**VILLAGE**: Konohagakure **CITIZENSHIP**: Hi no Kuni **NINJA RANK**: Jounin

**ADDIT NINJA CLASS**: ANBU Captain

**ELEMENT AFFI**: Lightning (prim); Rock, Water, Fire (sec).

**DISTINGUISHING FEATURES**: Sharingan left eye, vertical scar over left eye, ANBU tattoo on left shoulder.

**HOLD LOCATION**: MATSUCON # 42E **DATE/TIME SECURED**: 27/2/203 15:45:00 (approx.)

**BELONGINGS**: 1 leaf hitai-ate. 1 hip pouch (black) with contents: 1 small medical pouch, 8 scrolls, 10 tags (explosive), 12 flash bombs, 5 rations, trap-making materials. 1 shuriken holster with 10 shuriken and 6 kunai. Konohagakure ANBU uniform: 1 porcelain mask (wolf design, damaged), 1 pair flak armguards (gray), 1 pair long iron guard gloves (black, fingered), 1 pants (black), 1 undershirt with long neck for mask (black), 1 flak chest piece (gray), 1 pair tall combat sandals (black), 1 ninjato, 1 meter bandages. 1 boxers (white).

**CIRCUMSTANCES**: #4166 was drawn out by ANBU mission and captured while relaxing in their inn at ██████████ during the return from the mission's completion. One of two targets. Both targets taken during planned surprise assault while stopping at inn. Some injuries suffered on our side as a result of fight that broke out in confusion. Other two members in their team, confirmed **[**DATA REDACTED**]**, successfully fended off without unnecessary killing. Agents working the capture were █████, █████, and ██████ ████ leading. _See report IKE-416-56._

**PURPOSE: **Information on** [**DATA REDACTED**]** Secondary catalyst in acquiring **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** _See Project Momotarou._

**DIET**: Base rations of bread, soup, and water. No set feeding time. No drugs.

**HOLD REQUIREMENTS**: Cell must be empty except for the prisoner. Prisoner is to have a seal on his chakra at all times. Special consideration must be made in drawing the seal concerning the prisoner's Sharingan. Chakra seal may require maintenance. Prisoner is to be hooded when taken out of his cell. _See OCP iv-xi._

**INTERROG & TORT**: Information from and usage of #4166 pertains to Project Momotarou. Maintain proper patterns of interrogation unless situations call otherwise. Keep guards in standard staggered knowledge of him. #4166 is to be given primarily open-air lacerations during torture due to his elemental affinity. _See Zeme-Method-3a._ Selective reprogramming and/or re-education after discerning specific information may be required; suggestibility via KAN-SHA encouraged as technique. Use joined cell occupant (#4165) as emotional pivot when necessary and vice-versa; allow auditory contact with #4165. Agent heading #4166's interrogation and torture is **████████.**

**PROGRESSIVE LOG REPORT  
**

**27/2/203 17:23:06**

#4166 has reached MATSUCON. He was still unconscious. #4165's belongings were removed and chakra seals were made per Official Complex Protocol. Dressed in standard prisoner garments and placed in cell #42E.

**-- 20:01:10**

#4166 regained consciousness and began calling out **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**. Codenames dropped after 12 minutes. Another 6 minutes before he calls only the name of #4165. Unknown currently if it is because he can smell her in the adjacent cell or if he has an attachment (assumed latter from briefing). In 2 minutes time #4165 regains consciousness and responds.

**-- 21:56:32**

Guards ███████ █████ and █████ ███████ entered #4165's cell for forced intercourse as stated in the directive for **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**. #4166 became active and belligerent within his cell, shouting threats and curses at the guards and attempting to use jutsu to get through the cell and attack them (failed due to chakra seals).

**-- 23:02:22**

The first meal was brought to #4166 as well as #4165. As usual for first meals, it went untouched.

**28/2/203 19:21:34**

Meal brought to #4166 was ignored again. Still violent towards guards entering #4165's cell.

**1/3/203 20:39:11**

Meal brought to #4166. He has been encouraged by #4165 to eat. No further documentation needed on meal consumption unless feeding behavior changes.

**--23:11:09**

#4166 was brought in for his first session of torture and to check his chakra seal. Nothing of note to report.

**2/3/203 00:53:18**

#4166 showed increased anxiety during the absence of #4165 while she was having her first session of torture and chakra seal check.

**5/3/203 14:22:45**

#4166 is complaining about being distressed by hallucinations.

**10/3/203 05:42:09**

Interrogation session today brought some success. #4166 definitely knows about the events surrounding **[**DATA REDACTED**]**

**12/3/203 02:21:21**

Cleaning of Hold #42E while #4166 is in hygiene has revealed that #4166 has been keeping tally of the days as they pass by scratching into the wall. The tally seems to already be off by a day.

**14/3/203 12:41:29**

Interrogation today brought substantial results about **[**DATA REDACTED**]** Further information might be acquired by using #4165 on him. He mentioned ████████ █████ 5 times. Suggestions are **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**18/3/203 10:33:32**

#4166 seems to have finally grown docile when the guards use #4165.

**21/3/203 ██:██:██**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**] **and 6 guards have been **[**DATA EXPUNGED**] **by order of **████████.** Additional assistance requested.

**26/3/203 09:59:12**

#4166 has been harder to get information out of the past few sessions. More frequent and aggressive interrogations suggested.

█**/4/203 ██:██:██**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**3/4/203 20:11:43**

#4166 is in markedly better condition than others by this mark (5th week) in the process; he seems to have already adjusted. It is suspected this is in part from his interactions with #4165.

**7/4/203 09:25:19**

#4166 is being especially uncooperative. Rations have been withheld for the 3rd time this week.

**12/4/203 07:29:42**

Due to #4165's rise in timed, rebellious behavior, it is suspected that #4166 has been influencing her against proper development for the purposes listed in Project Momotarou. It should be noted that this was expected. Proceed with _Zeme-__Course-_██ for temporary separation and KAN-SHA influenced reprogramming.

**13/4/203 00:10:05**

#4166 taken out of his cell and brought to a sealed interrogation room. Starting _Zeme-__Course-_**██_._**

**--03:12:51**

#4166 seems to have realized the session is longer than usual. Increased anxiety.

**--07:21:12**

**[**FURTHER DATA ON COURSE REDACTED – SEE TOIA-4166-COURSE-A**]**

**18/4/203 20:11:31**

_Zeme-__Course-_██ was largely a success. Good information and reprogramming progress; #4166 doesn't appear to remember and/or differentiate the key questions asked, nor does he appear to understand or remember the actual length he was absent from his cell. Still shows rebellious attitude and advanced mental competence, however. #4166 has been returned to his hold.

**19/4/203 14:30:00**

Agent Tora made an incredibly amateurish request about drawing up a D-Class version of this document, despite the fact everyone knows who #4166 is and the effort would be a waste of paper, ink, and time. Forced re-entrance into his childhood ninja academy is highly suggested.

_(25/5/203)Tora: Fuck you, Jiken._

_(26/5/203)Jiken: I wondered how long it would take you to find this. Seems it took Oniisama pointing it out._

**20/4/203 12:30:20**

#4166 has readjusted to living in the cell as if nothing had happened. #4165 has not contradicted.

**23/4/203 07:23:35**

#4166 is violent and belligerent, being vexed by hallucinations again. Withhold rations except for water for two days.

**27/4/203 17:29:02**

Aggressive interrogation tactics on #4166 has yielded more information on ████████ █████ and ██████ █████ as well as **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** Project Momotarou is coming towards its final stages from these revelations.

**30/4/203 13:██:14**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** It has been discovered that the jutsu used for this requires seals such as **████████ ██ █████.**

**--██:██:██**

Getting further information on the matter has resulted in failure. Another course may be required.

**2/5/203 21:01:38**

Request for the use of another course on #4166 denied for now.

**8/5/203 01:26:28**

It's suspected that he has achieved prolonged visual contact with #4165 via electric lamp stolen from ████████ ██████ by #4165. Request administration choice on whether or not this should be rectified

**--16:42:20**

It has been decided to allow continued visual contact due to the accelerating progress on Project Momotarou.

**15/5/203 11:17:43**

Medical report: #4166 appears to have contracted Septicemia and perhaps mild Gastroenteritis. There are a number of minor infections, particularly on his palms and under his fingernails, though they aren't as severe as a month ago. He also seems to be suffering from iron-deficiency anemia. Expected evidence of atrophy in muscles. Analysis of #4166's **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** No Typhus. No lice. Examination headed by **███.** _See MED-4166-15._

_(15/5/203)601: Superb. Nothing he could infect #4165 with. I told you that regular hygiene coupled with clean, bare, separate cells was good idea. We learn from our mistakes._

**19/5/203 08:19:27**

#4166 used as an emotional pivot against #4165 in **[**DATA REDACTED**] **by means of** [**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**22/5/203 04:32:12**

Long interrogation with #4166 produced good information. Hard to be sure of his plans of escape however; very stubborn there. Requesting course in order to obtain.

**--12:22:17**

Course request denied. It's too late for one, and dajare has something planned for this, anyway.

**25/5/203 15:53:36**

Final stage of Project Momotarou achieved; interrogation of #4166, his exam, and light on his stubbornness reveals a good endgame for us, as well. He's definitely a good █████ █████ for **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

_(25/5/203)Unmei: I love it when a plan comes together._

**28/5/203 06:40:47**

Additional conditioning done today in interrogation for #4166's use in the final stage of Project Momotarou. Because of his reaction to ██████ stimuli based on █████, it is deemed unnecessary. Normal interrogation continues as usual.

**7/6/203 18:13:51**

Final session of torture and interrogation performed. Nothing new learned, though some reaffirmed information. Cut short. #4166 was informed of his "execution" in a week's time.

**11/6/203 22:16:42**

████████ ███████ came by #4166's room to record his final request. #4166 requested marriage with #4165. #4165 agreed to relinquish her privilege at a final request for this. Good news on **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**14/6/203 11:58:20**

#4166 removed from his cell for hygiene. Original clothes (listed in belongings above) and hitai-ate returned to him. Returned to cell without hood. Cell outfitted with 1 blanket (1mx1m) and 1 small electric lamp for final request.

**--13:04:00**

Final request of #4165 and #4166 fulfilled by Priest ██████████. Left together in #4166's for the remainder of their imprisonment.

**--15:21:34**

Final meals for both #4165 and #4166 brought to Hold #42E: 2 tempura udon, 2 broiled fish, 2 rice, pickles, 2 glasses orange juice, 1 bottle sake.

**15/6/203 15:29:34**

#4165 and #4166 removed from Hold #42E. They were hard to rouse from sleep and show evidence of **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** Tests later on with █████ necessary to be sure, but it looks like **[**DATA EXPUNGED – SEE PROJECT MOMOTAROU**]** They were forcibly taken into the procession of ninja inmates. Already showing signs of rebellion.

**--15:43:21**

#4165 and #4166 escaped the guards and made a break for the woods. The guards managed to recapture #4166 without our help.

**--16:09:12**

#4166 struggled and was hostile up through #4165's **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** Regained violent behavior when he was being taken up the platform himself and gave enough time for the various kage to finally step in and end the show. #4166 secured by the Hokage and Konohagakure. No further logging on #4166 necessary.

**PROGRESSIVE LOG END**

_(7/12/208)Oniisama: How is it that the B-Class version of this document is missing?! Who was the last to look at it? The sign-in shows B-Class personnel requesting it last week, but doesn't have an ID number for him. Someone draw up a new one immediately while I investigate this matter!_


	5. Smoky Habit

Disclaimer: chapter 1.

We're going back to some normal Kakashi narrative.  
Thank you guys for the great reviews. Krazed, your reviews are detailed and long per usual, which is great. I can't really even say anything on it because they're really complete, heh. Port, I'm actually quite used to the whole lack of reviews thing, especially for any of my stories marked weird genres like "horror" or "mystery". But I promise that your "gripe" is getting addressed sometime.

* * *

Kakashi rolled over and stared up at the old alarm clock without comprehension for a few moments. What was he awake for? Oh, he must have just woken up naturally. What time was it? Nine? Did he have anything he had to do today?

He sat up and scratched his messy gray mop, turning to look out the window. He didn't have as many obligations as he used to ever since he left ANBU. At first, he'd thought he could just step right back into being an active ninja after what happened, if he just took it slow and took out a month to recuperate. It wasn't like he'd expected; even though he got back into the swing of doing missions, albeit easier ones and at less frequency, life just felt _off_ all around. He didn't make it a point to see much of Tenzo or Yuugao, even though they did pass each other and exchange words every once in a while. They might have been comrades, but they were still rather busy with ANBU, and he didn't exactly consider them close.

He had just _lost_ the last person he would have called close. Even if that empty space didn't necessarily hurt anymore, it was still disorienting and he didn't know what to do with himself outside of visit Obito and read books. Maybe he shouldn't have quit ANBU, after all. Lucky for him that Gai insisted on continuing their competition as his rival. The _purpose_ of that competition might be largely meaningless now, but it was still a distraction, to say the least.

Jiraiya dropped by to discuss some things with him at times. Kakashi was glad to have an ear like his investigating some of his concerns, but Jiraiya wouldn't reveal to Kakashi his sources, and his visits were sporadic at best. And Kakashi could hardly go out looking for Jiraiya or his sources, either; no need for his own behavior to be so conspicuous, being Konoha's only survivor to the incident. As much as he would have liked to act personally, he knew he could not; though it was never outwardly said, sthere was an aggressive push in the internal military politics to paint the whole thing as an isolated incident merely blown out of proportion by conspiracy theorists. Kakashi was a variable in the equation to be watched in that regard.

But which points in the system were being pressed? And who were the ones doing the pressing? It was hard to say at this point; even the Sandaime didn't proffer any hints, as sympathetic as he seemed.

With a grunt, Kakashi got out of bed and plodded over to his shower to clean up. There was something he had to do today, wasn't there? Ah yes, the Hokage wanted him to take a mission. It was supposed to be B-rank, but the brief he read the night before didn't seem to make it sound very difficult. He had to be at the Hokage's Tower at… three in the afternoon. He had a while. After he was washed and dressed, he tucked a copy of Icha Icha into his pocket and set on his way to visit Obito.

Kakashi was the sort of meticulous personality that would silently mull repeatedly over every perceivable mistake that could have caused the calamities that plagued his life, in fear of repeating them. The human mind can't take this much regret, so he had to find ways to cope. When he was younger, the strategy was to kill the regret directly and moving the responsibility of making decisions away from his shoulders over to Structure and Code, but this logic was clouded. In his mind, his skewed judgment resulted in the death of Uchiha Obito, so he had to find another way of coping. The visits he made to the memorial stone with his two remaining teammates turned out to be a good alternative, since he felt he could properly honor Obito while forcing in some time to think over his regrets. He was able to mutter his personal misgivings to the silent names on the stone and found his already slumped shoulders had a little less weight to them. It was a ritual he continued when teammates reduced to teammate, which gave him a new topic of discussion with Obito.

Now there were no teammates, so he had even another subject.

He stared long at the name, his mind a bit of a slow haze, before he thought of how to begin the conversation today. "It's been this long, and I'm still unsteady, Obito." He paused a moment to mull over his thoughts. "I'm not sure what point in time I'm referring back to. Maybe I'm talking about Rin. Jiraya's books have been indispensable. I bet you'd laugh at me for reading such material, but I don't really care. It's something. It helps a little."

The wind blew a little. "Are you happy to have Rin there with you, now? Maybe that's presumptuous for me to say it like that… I mean, she's changed a lot since then, hasn't she? We went our separate ways ten years ago. I wonder how sensei feels about seeing her? We were getting close to his age, and she's developed a lot… he might not recognize her. Though I'm sure her parents are proud." He looked up at the rustling trees a moment, as if the leaves were trying to whisper something to him. "I just wish I could have delayed your reunion a little _longer_, selfish as that sounds."

He looked back down at the stone and cringed a little. "You must be tired of hearing my excuses, but I couldn't do anything, Obito. I couldn't protect her or take care of her properly. I'm sure there had to have been _something_ I could have done… I _know_ there had to have been. Maybe you'll forgive me for that. Then at least _someone_ could forgive me for it, since I know I can't forgive myself. I won't see her, or any of you, until _my_ turn comes."

Obito's eye stung and Kakashi could almost hear the thirteen-year-old Uchiha screaming at him from the past, telling him to quit being so goddamn depressing. Life wasn't over yet. There were things left to do, left to see and experience. Kakashi nodded resolutely and agreed.

He imagined Obito crossing his arms and huffing with a righteous "damn right". Kakashi laughed a little and felt for a moment that maybe he could tell him this time.

"I'll make it up to you both, though. I have an idea. It'll be hard, because they're already suspicious, but I'll make sure the whole thing isn't swept under the rug as if it was some meaningless, harmless quirk in history. It's the best thing I can do, in protecting Rin, making sure she isn't left at the memory of some unfortunate number."

The conversation continued a while, because Kakashi had a lot of regrets to think over today. Soon enough, he waved Obito goodbye and pulled out his book, casually walking to Hokage's Tower while flipping through the pages. It should be about time for him to show up, now. Of course, the sky looked a little dark for it to be three o'clock, but Kakashi chalked that up to the shortening of the day as the season got cooler and didn't spare any more thought to it.

When he pushed open the door to the office and muttered a greeting up from his book, he saw the three people who were assigned under him glaring at him. "_Hatake Kakashi…_" Their voices grumbled dangerously like the thunder of a storm in the distance.

"Hn?"

"YOU ARE LATE!" Genma sneered, his senbon clutched between his teeth. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

"YOU ASSHOLE!" Anko roared. "GET A WATCH OR SOMETHING!"

Even Gai was fuming with the power of youth. "WHAT TIME DID YOU THINK WE WERE MEETING?!"

Kakashi laughed and put his book away. Why were they this upset? He was _always_ late—he hadn't exactly been punctual since he was, what, thirteen?—but no one really complained since it really wasn't _that_ important. Surely it wasn't more than maybe thirty minutes after three, right? An hour? It wasn't like the mission was high priority or anything. They could take a little bit of a wait, right?

"Four hours!" Anko continued. "Four hours we've been waiting for you to get here so we can get the full report from the Hokage and leave!"

"Eh?" Four hours? It couldn't have been. No way he spent all that time at the stone. But when he looked over at the Hokage at his desk, who's old face was sporting a particularly vexed expression, and the clock on the wall behind him, he discovered evidence to the contrary. It was past seven o'clock.

Had he really spent eight hours just talking to Obito? It didn't seem that to him, but he had felt like he was moving and thinking in some sort of thick fog ever since he returned from Tanima no Kuni. He just felt slow; some days it took effort to arouse any meaningful thoughts or action. Hell, he had to remind himself to eat, since his stomach wouldn't always tell him when it was time to get food.

"You'd better have a damn good excuse for this!" Asuma growled.

"Uhm," Other than the unsettling discovery that he was _this_ severely disoriented about the passage of time, Kakashi didn't see the problem. He just lost track of time, is all. It wasn't like his presence determined life or death. But from the looks on their faces, they didn't look like they'd be satisfied with the truth, so he scrounged through his memory, trying to find a good excuse for being late. He slowly drawled out the first one he came to. "…On the way here, I had to show the way to an old woman carrying her luggage."

The room went uncomfortably silent. Everyone was staring at him with flat disbelief, almost stunned.

He coughed and broke the silence himself by adding, "Plus, there was something in my eye."

"THAT'S A LIE!" Genma and Anko looked ready to jump him and rip him apart.

Gai approached him and grabbed the collar of Kakashi's vest with his best attempt at an angry, intimidating devil-grin. "Saying such obvious lies with such a cool face! You have some nerve!"

Kakashi shrugged as if there was nothing wrong.

.-.-.

The Sandaime had passed that off as a one-time thing and didn't pay any mind to it. When it happened again, then again, at good frequency, then he was hoping it was just a phase Kakashi was going through after what had happened in Tanima no Kuni and still bit back, hoping the cell he was assigned to would understand. The other ninja that were assigned under him eventually learned to deal with it, but they still complained. The Hokage couldn't do much better for them than to suggest patience and understanding and wait for it to pass.

But now it had been nearly two years and Kakashi was still grossly late for nearly everything that someone could possibly be late for in the village. The only static exception he could think of was the urgent meetings between jounin that were assembled on the fly, which usually meant someone went to collect Kakashi. The Hokage rubbed the wrinkles just under his temple, glaring at the Copy Ninja across from him. Once again, he was told to come in several hours before he actually did show up. The setting sun was glinting through the windows in the office. It was time to address the issue.

"I was lenient at first because of what happened, but now it seems to be habit for you."

Kakashi looked up from his book before he put it away, preparing for the scolding.

"Kakashi, it's almost been two years since it happened, and you're in as good condition as you ever was. Better even. You're one of the best damn ninja in the village and there is no denying that, and I can only imagine what sort of ninja you'd be if what happened to you had all been avoided. I'll grant that you aren't late when it counts; you're quick to respond as the situation calls. But this is beyond rude to treat your teammates like you do by being so late!" Sarutobi angrily knocked out the ashes from his pipe and rubbed his temples again with his other hand. "You're nearly always the leader of your cells, and you have liberty to set the meeting times to a more convenient one for you. Most people do that, as there's no way they can begin the mission without their captain's appearance. But you don't. Even when _you_ decide the time, you'll still be three, four, _six_ hours late. Honestly, how do you think your students will take it if you're late with meeting them as well?"

"It's a good thing none of them have passed so far, then," Kakashi replied blandly.

"That isn't the point!" the Hokage boomed with a smack of his pipe onto the desk, "Even if you kept your record tight in all other regards, this behavior is unprofessional and inexcusable! What sort of cell captain does this, Kakashi?"

"Well, I have to admit, Hokage-sama; I never did enjoy being captain. I'm just always assigned to lead."

"That's because you're good at it," the old man grumbled, "which is unfortunate for you. You can do it, you will do it, and you will do it better than nearly anybody else and you know it. To have talent is to be in demand. That would be true even if we _didn't_ need strong leaders."

"Then my teammates will just have to learn to deal with it."

_Stubborn_. "Why must you persist on it? Why do you keep a bad habit like that?"

The silver-haired jounin was silent a moment, honestly contemplating the question. "…At first it was just hard to focus, but now it just seems more natural that way. Nothing important is happening. No wars, conflicts with other nations have been relatively quiet. Besides, everyone else seems to have already gotten used to it and don't insist so much on always arriving on time themselves. It just flows better that way: I come a few hours late so they already know and are comfortable with each other. They scold me, I say some sort of lie, and we go on to the next order of business like nothing happened."

Sarutobi sighed and rubbed the spot on the bridge of his nose between his eyes. A headache was threatening and the tobacco just wasn't strong enough today. "So you're telling me this is your system, huh." It wouldn't win him any _respect_ from his subordinates, but Kakashi could get that from his skills and integrity, he supposed. Besides, he had a reputation starting out.

"I suppose you could think of it that way."

"Really, I wonder what Minato would say if he saw this. I'd imagine he'd laugh his ass off, his perfect student being so late even while he's a captain. Not to mention the comments Kushina would have mocked you with. Though I bet that Rin would scold you."

"That might be true," Kakashi laughed, "but if Rin were still alive to kick me out of bed and pull my book out of my hand, I wouldn't be late."

Sarutobi picked up the pipe again, inspecting the sooty bowl. "That's true. I don't suppose you'd need the icebreaker, either."

"Excuse me, Hokage-sama?"

He shook his head. "Nevermind, Kakashi," he picked up a document—the graduation scores from the academy this year—with his free hand and glanced over it. "I'll be assigning you some students soon. We're still looking over and deciding who should get whom. I'm not going to berate you for your rudeness towards them because your test is harsh for a reason, so you might as well be an asshole to them the whole time through. It always proves to be a good lesson to them."

"I'm glad you understand, Hokage-sama."

He gave him a glare. "Just watch that I don't give you a hard trio to work with, though. I might assign you a lot of trouble because of all the trouble you give _me_. I already have an idea of who to shoulder you with."

Kakashi returned the Hokage's stare with a flat stare from his own eye, though he did still feel the sweat under his crooked hitai-ate. He had a feeling this was coming. "I understand."

With that, the meeting was over and Kakashi was allowed to leave, which he promptly did by means of a body flicker—must have wanted out of there quick, even though he surely had no plans. Sarutobi sighed and cleaned some stubborn remnants from his pipe before stuffing it with some fresh tobacco. He lit it and sucked the first puff of smoke out of it before returning his attention to some scrolls he had been working on while he had been waiting for Kakashi to show up.

New students for Kakashi. Well, there was a good chance they'd fail like the others, but Hiruzen doubted that this time. A grin crept across his face. This could actually works out very well; he wanted to do some investigation of his own on something, and it was hard to do it without a dozen eyes seeing his movements. But if the survivor of the incident concerning his investigation were busy with a genin team, maybe the people watching would relax just enough for Hiruzen to get some research in without trouble. And though those watchers were still suspicious, Kakashi's lax behavior has already proven to result that kind of effect. Maybe it was _good_ that he was so casual about time.

_Still though, a bad habit is a bad habit. Perhaps his students finally teach him some discipline._


	6. TOIA 4166 COURSE A ABRIDGED

Disclaimer: Yarr. Uh, 1st chapter. Yeah. By the way… you know how horrible stuff happened? It's going to be talked about. In a bit of a graphic way. And by "a bit of" I mean "very much".

Thanks for the reviews and favorites! I'm glad there are people enjoying this crazy thing. Thank you very much for the praise, Krazed; some of your questions might be answered a little in this chapter. Butterfly, your reviews here and in the one shot make me grin widely, if only because you're giving me some very interesting ideas. I'm glad that I've given you some inspiration for your writing as well!  
And now… MORE HARD TO READ STUFF! Awesome! It's a few hours late because it was hard to write, too! We're all in the same boat yay!

**

* * *

TOIA-4166-COURSE-A (ABRIDGED)**

ABRIDGED VERSION OF TOIA-4166-COURSE-A. A-CLASS DOCUMENT. ONLY THOSE WITH A-CLASS ACCESS OR ABOVE CAN VIEW.

THIS DOCUMENT RANGES FROM B TO S CLASSIFICATION.

**FORWARD INFORMATION**

**COURSE LOCATION**: MATSUCON TR # 4 (fully outfitted)

**PRISONER(S) INVOLVED**: #4166

**PERSONNEL INVOLVED**: Oniisama, Unmei, Tora, ███, ████, ████████ █████, and the staff of **[**DATA REDACTED**]**.

**COURSE USED**: Zeme-Course-**██ ADDIT**: KAN-SHA influenced reprogramming

**DURATION**:13/4/203 00:10:13 - 18/4/203 19:43:57

**PURPOSE**: Obtain more information concerning ████████ ██████ and **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**, general observation, reprogramming in order to **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**, act as temporary separation from #4165 in order to **[**DATA REDACTED – SEE PROJECT MOMOTAROU**]**.

**TRANSCRIPT**

**13/4/203**

{00:10:13} _**‹**__#4166 has been brought into MATSUCON TR # 4 and immediately strapped into harnesses. Currently passive.__**›**_

{00:15:23}**Oniisama**: Another session I get to spend with you, number four-one-six-six. How are you feeling?

_**‹**__#4166 does not respond.__**›**_

{00:15:34}**Oniisama**: Surely you heard me. I am speaking to you, four-one-six-six. I wish to have a little discussion.

{00:15:43}#**4166**: Pardon me if I don't exactly enjoy our little discussions.

{00:15:49}**Oniisama**: Beats sitting in a cell alone in the dark all day, doesn't it?

_**‹**__#4166 does not respond.__**›**_

{00:15:59}**Oniisama**: You know the drill. The more you cooperate, the easier it will be. Blah, blah, blah. We go through this every other day, don't we?

{00:16:08}#**4166**: I suppose we do. I don't exactly know what constitutes as a day anymore, so I'm not a good judge of time.

{00:16:16}**Oniisama**: I guess that's true. Are you hungry?

{00:16:22}#**4166**: What does it matter?

{00:16:27}**Oniisama**: It matters to me. I want to make sure you're comfortable.

{00:16:32}#**4166**: Oh horseshit.

{00:16:36}**Oniisama**: At least your vocabulary is as colorful as ever.

{00:16:40}#**4166**: Whatever. It doesn't matter what sort of inane drabble I say to your inane questions. It will be recorded and you'll just go to the next bullshit question.

{00:16:53}**Oniisama**: Tora, if you would please make note of the subject's continued hostility but overall calm demeanor. I'm sure it's something that Jiken would like to keep track of in the yuurei.

{00:17:05}_**‹**__#4166 shakes his head.__**›**_

{00:17:10}**Oniisama**: Really, I'd prefer you answered me instead of us having to get Unmei in here. I'm sure you'd prefer it that way, too, because you must hate Unmei. Everyone hates her, so you must hate her, too, don't you?

{00:17:24}#**4166**: I feel that I've been rather indiscriminate in my hatred for the people in this place.

{00:17:31}**Oniisama**: What a clever answer! But of course, that can't be completely true, since number four-one-six-five is a person "in this place". You honestly don't feel the same level of hatred for her as you do us, do you?

{00:17:48}#**4166**: I wasn't including Rin in what I said, if that's what you mean.

{00:17:58}**Oniisama**: Yes, of course. Rin. That's her name. Yagami Rin. Despite all the hell we throw at her, she keeps her spunk.

‹_#4166 does not respond.__**›**_

{00:18:04}**Oniisama**: She's quite a girl, isn't she? I know those guards quite enjoy her company.

‹_#4166 does not respond.__**›**_

{00:18:11}**Oniisama**: You must be jealous that you can't enjoy her as well. So close and yet so far away am I right? You know, I've seen the look on her face. That little grin she gets when she rebels against those men that force her? I think she lives for those moments. I nicknamed her _Pavlov's Dog_, because in anticipation for that chance, she's obviously getting pleasure from their—

{00:18:38}#**4166**: _**‹**__interrupts__**›**_Shut up!

{00:18:41}**Oniisama**: Hooh? What a change in attitude. I was merely commenting because it's true. Like when a dog salivates at the ring of a bell, four-one-six-five, when those men begin to touch her, will involuntarily self-lubri—

{00:18:56}#**4166**: _**‹**__interrupts__**›**_I said shut up! Rin is not that kind of woman!

{00:19:02}**Oniisama**: I thought this would be good news for you. It means she's adjusting to this life, after all. Wouldn't she be happier in thinking of the experiences as good rather than painful?

{00:19:12}#**4166**: Good?! She's still being tortured while they take advantage of her against her will! How can this be good?!

{00:19:21}**Oniisama**: Don't look at it that way. She's still adjusting.

{00:19:25}#**4166**: She doesn't need to fucking "adjust" to you assholes. She shouldn't have to.

{00:19:34}**Oniisama**: I'm sorry you feel that way. Tora, be sure to make note of the subject's feelings on this conversation topic. _**‹**__pause__**›**_ You know, four-one-six-six, I've had my share of fun with her as well.

{00:19:48}#**4166**: I'm sure you have.

{00:19:52}**Oniisama**: Is that sarcasm I detect? My, but you keep yourself well in this situation. I'm impressed. But I'm serious; I've felt Miss four-one-six-five's flesh. From the inside.

{00:20:10}#**4166**: And you're trying to upset me by thi—

{00:20:12}**Oniisama**:_**‹**__interrupts__**›**_ Aren't you jealous? That I've felt her? That I get the privilege? You know, the best is the feeling of how she contracts when you thrust a electrical hotshot prod against her n—

{00:20:23}#**4166**: _**‹**__interrupts__**›**_ I'll kill you! _**‹**__struggles against restraints__**›**_ I'll fucking kill you!

{00:20:28}**Oniisama**: _**‹**__steps back__**›**_ Well, there we go! So you are jealous!

{00:20:33}#**4166**: _**‹**__struggling against restraints__**›**_ I'll tear you apart limb from limb until you're a bleeding torso on the cold ground! I'll rip your fucking heart out and take one large bite out of it, grind the flesh between my molars, and smile with bloody teeth as I watch your eyes go dull in that shit-stained head of yours! I'll throw the rest into a fire to cook and feed you to my dogs! And you better believe I'll enjoy every fucking second!

{00:20:58}**Oniisama**: Damn, the restraints are having trouble. ████, hurry up and bring me something to paralyze his muscles!

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

{03:12:39}**Unmei**: Hmm, this won't do. Your responses are getting weirder. Are you nervous? That can't be. Tired? Anxious?

{03:12:51}#**4166**: I've been in here a while. I haven't been in for this long before.

{03:12:57}**Unmei**: Oh, is that right? You can tell things like that, can you? You can sense time going past so well that you can measure it now?

{03:13:07}#**4166**: No, I can't. But I don't think I've been in this long before. Why have I been here longer?

{03:13:15}**Unmei**: You're speculating. It just seems longer because I'm being lenient on you today. I suppose I should increase the air forced on your cuts.

{03:13:25}_**‹**__Unmei increases the airflow on lacerations. #4166 shouts out but regains control shortly.__**›**_

{03:13:33}**Unmei**: There. Now, let's get back to the questions. How did you achieve that jutsu you call **[**DATA REDACTED**]**

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

{07:21:12}_**‹**_**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** _will immediately go into medical treatment for his injuries from #4166. Further examination is needed on_ **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**_**›**_

_(14/4/203)Tora: Fucking hell that was scary. He could have easily ripped him apart. Good thing 601 was there to help out or we'd be out some important personnel._

_(15/4/203)Kondoru: Is that all I am?! "Important personnel"?!?!_

_(15/4/203)Oniisama: One would hope you'd feel happy to be called important by your kohei. He was worried, you know._

_(16/4/203)601: Wow. I'm surprised you're not reprimanding them for making comments in files, Oniisama. Remember to change those bandages, Kondoru._

_(17/4/203)Rega: IT WAS KONDORU'S FAULT ANYWAY! He didn't check #4166's ties, the chakra seals were still being redrawn, and Kondoru just starts describing—IN DETAIL—#4165's torture in the next room. What did he think was going to happen?!_

_(17/4/203)601: You're talking about #4166 like he's a wild animal in a cage, Rega._

_(18/4/203)Unmei: Isn't he?_

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

**14/4/203**

{01:31:41}**Oniisama**: **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** And what about your involvement in the slaughter at Hajikami Pass?

{01:31:47}#**4166**: A fairy and a tengu came down and took everything.

{01:31:51}**Oniisama**: Answering in gibberish again, I see.

{01:31:54}#**4166**: Well what do you expect when you ask me stupid questions li—_**‹**__cuts off into shout from application of airflow into laceration__**›**_

{01:32:03}**Unmei**: Mind your manners, four-one-six-six.

{01:32:06}#**4166**: Your not going to get any better answers.

{01:32:09}**Oniisama**: What about number four-one-six-five? Was she there?

{01:32:14}#**4166**: I don't even know what you're supposed to be talking about. She's never been to that country, and there was never a slaughter at—_**‹**__cuts off because of minor application of airflow__**›**_

{01:32:23}**Unmei**: Was too. I had friends that died there.

{01:32:26}#**4166**: You had friends? Now I know you made it up.

{01:32:30}**Oniisama**: So now you're going to tell me that ████████ ██████ had nothing to do with it?

{01:32:35}#**4166**: And there we go. If it doesn't go to Rin, it goes to ██████-sensei. Or ██████-san. Or **[**DATA REDACTED**]**

{01:32:44}**Oniisama**: We do know that you were all there, four-one-six-six.

{01:32:50}#**4166**: You know fairy tales.

{01:32:55}_**‹**__Unmei applies high airflow. #4166 tenses up and shows pain but does not shout. Airflow is left on the laceration.__**›**_

{01:33:01}**Oniisama**: Now you're just being difficult. Just tell us what we want to know.

{01:33:08}#**4166**: _**‹**__straining from pain__**›**_ You're just asking random questions in hopes I'll slip something, right? You always do this. It's not going to work.

{01:33:20}**Oniisama**: It's worked before on you. It'll work again.

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

**15/4/203**

{11:52:18}████████:You're really quite stubborn.

{11:52:21}#**4166**: How many times I've heard that from you bunch.

{11:52:25}████████: It happens to be true. You can't deny it. You've been in this place for a while now and you're still holding out better than even the most hardy of our prisoners.

{11:52:35}#**4166**: A while in this place, you mean…_**‹**__does not finish sentence__**›**_

{11:52:45}████████: Number four-one-six-six?

{11:52:47}#**4166**: Hn?

{11:52:49}████████: I believe you were saying something.

{11:52:55}#**4166**: That's silly. I never say anything.

{11:53:00}████████: Don't you try to mess with me, four-one-six-six. What were you saying about "a while in this place"?

{11:53:08}#**4166**: Oh that. I was just wondering… what place you meant.

{11:53:14}████████: Eh? _**‹**__long pause__**›**_ It looks like time for me to leave, four-one-six-six. Someone will be in here after me.

‹_#4166 is left alone in TR # 4 during this interval before Oniisama enters.__**›**_

{17:02:19}**Oniisama**: Sorry about the short delay. We took number four-one-six-five back to her room a few hours ago and she's still being belligerent.

{17:02:30}#**4166**: How many hours ago?

{17:02:33}**Oniisama**: Oh, I don't know. Two or three. Sometime while ████████ was in here so I couldn't tell you that we were done with her.

{17:02:42}#**4166**: How long have I been in this room?

{17:02:46}**Oniisama**: About half the day, I guess. Longer than usual. You're being particularly stubborn this time around, four-one-six-six.

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

**16/4/203**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

{20:02:37}**Tora**: For the purposes of data keeping, I need to know who it was.

{20:02:41}#**4166**: Sure.

{20:02:43}_**‹**__Tora makes another note in the files regarding #4166's behavior.__**›**_

{20:02:51}█████: Look's like you're having trouble there.

{20:02:53}**Tora**: Aw, shut up, will ya? You're not even supposed to be here!

{20:02:56}█████: Don't worry, I'm blacking my name.

{20:03:04}#**4166**: I don't see what all this has to do with peaches, anyway.

{20:03:10}**Tora**: _**‹**__looking up in shock__**›**_ What… did you say just now?

{20:03:17}#**4166**: Myths and ghosts. You're very superstitious people.

{20:03:22}**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

{20:03:29}_**‹**__#4166's right eye is exposed for _**[**DATA REDACTED**]**_**›**_

_(16/14/203)Oniisama: I'm already looking into what happened here and Unmei shall work on correcting the matter. It's a good thing he was in the middle of a course or this would have spelt trouble for us._

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

**17/4/203**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

{09:37:19}**Unmei**: You're so useless. Can't even take care of the girl next door, can you? What a pitiful ninja you make!

‹_#4166 does not respond.__**›**_

{09:37:30}**Unmei**: Hello? I'm talking to you. _**‹**__grabs #4166's hair and pulls him upright__**›**_ Hello! Wake up!

{09:37:37}_**‹**__#4166 groans.__**›**_

{09:37:40}**Unmei**: Who told you you can sleep?!

{09:37:43}#**4166**: I know I'm useless. I know, just…_**‹**__incoherent mutterings__**›**_

{09:37:51}**Unmei**: What was that?

‹_#4166 does not respond.__**›**_

{09:37:57}**Unmei**: _**‹**__slaps #4166__**›**_ I told you not to fall asleep!

{09:38:03}#_4166_: _**‹**__begins sobbing__**›**_ Obito… ██████-sensei… ██████-san… I'm so sorry… _**‹**__incoherent mutterings__**›**_

{09:38:17}_**‹**__Unmei lets go of #4166 and allows him to fall back on the table.__**›**_

{09:38:22}_**‹**__Oniisama enters the room and hands her _**[**DATA REDACTED**]**_. Unmei reads it.__**›**_

{09:38:38}**Unmei**: Damn. That was quick.

{09:38:43}**Oniisama**: Of course. How's your end going?

{09:38:48}**Unmei**: Better than expected, but it's still been tough. I'll be done within the hour.

{09:38:57}**Oniisama**: Try to squeeze out a little more information about what happened with the samurai and the thing in ████████ while you're at it.

{09:39:06}**Unmei**: Oh, no problem. All ready on it. He's in a receptive state.

{09:39:12}_**‹**__Oniisama leaves.__**›**_

{09:39:19}**Unmei**: Still in the realm of the living, number four-one-six-six?

{09:39:24}#**4166**: The Sharingan hurts…

{09:39:28}**Unmei**: Yeah. You always complain about that when you've been crying. So what were you saying about the samurai?

{09:39:37}#**4166**: I don't… Rin didn't do that part. I was the one. We were both there, but she didn't do that…

{09:39:47}**Unmei**: Number four-one-six-five is as guilty as you are of everything.

{09:39:52}#**4166**: No! _**‹**__sits up__**›**_ No! No, she didn't do anything! Please!

{09:39:59}**Unmei**: It's funny, how well Tetsu no Kuni and Hi no Kuni get along. And yet that sort of thing can still happen. Makes you feel a little jaded about international affairs, doesn't it?

{09:40:11}#**4166**: She had nothing to do with it! It was all Kouga and I! Rin was treating Tenzo at the time!

{09:40:17}**Unmei**: Oh really? That Uzuki wasn't with you?

‹_#4166 does not respond.__**›**_

{09:40:25}**Unmei**: I know you're not asleep, four-one-six-six.

{09:40:30}#**4166**: It's so cold in here.

{09:40:34}**Unmei**: Good.

{09:40:36}#**4166**: Why is it so cold?

{09:40:41}**Unmei**: To jog your memory, of course.

{09:40:45}#**4166**: That… makes no sense.

{09:40:51}**Unmei**: Just answer the question. Why wasn't Uzuki Yuugao with you when **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

{09:53:02}**Unmei**: So the jutsu used really was **[**DATA REDACTED**]**

{09:53:13}**Unmei**: If that's all you know, then, I guess I'm just going to have to get the rest from four-one-six-five.

‹_#4166 continues to sob and mutter incoherently.__**›**_

{09:53:28}**Unmei**: I'll be back after I've had a little talk with her.

{09:53:32}_**‹**__Unmei leaves.__**›**_

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

{16:24:46}**Oniisama**: Well, that's near pointless.

{16:24:50}**Unmei**: I told you, didn't I? We've had him in this room nearly an entire day and he still won't tell us about Samsara.

{16:24:57}#**4166**: I'm not a priest… why ask me these questions…

{16:25:02}**Unmei**: He thinks it's all myth. I bet he'd tell you that the Rikudou Sennin was a fairy tale with a straight face.

{16:25:09}_**‹**__Oniisama bursts into laughter. Unmei starts laughing, too.__**›**_

{16:25:16}**Unmei**: Damnit, you weren't supposed to react like that! You messed it up!

{16:25:20}**Oniisama**: I couldn't help it! Just keep pressing him; we know that the sensei of his sensei was the ████ ██████ ███████.

{16:25:27}#**4166**: Is there even a point?! _**‹**__screams and tries to pull restraints__**›**_ Are you people just joking with us?!

_(17/4/203)Unmei: I thought it was more of a growl than a scream._

_(18/4/203)Side: It was too damn loud to be called a growl._

_(18/4/203)Jiken: If you disagree with my notes, then do the transcript filing yourself._

{16:25:37}**Oniisama**: Note please the subject's instant change in behavior.

{16:25:40}**Unmei**: But Kakashi! If there were no point, then all that your Rin has suffered through would be a waste of time!

{16:25:47}**Oniisama**: Unmei, please refrain from using n—

{16:25:48}#**4166**: _**‹**__interrupts__**›**_ What the hell has she ever done to—fuck you!

{16:25:51}**Unmei**: But she sure seems to take the stress off the boys.

{16:25:54}#**4166**: Fuck you!

{16:25:56}_**‹**__Unmei punches #4166 down to the table.__**›**_

{16:26:01}**Oniisama**: Maybe it'll be easier if you cooperate more.

‹_#4166 fists his hands into his hair but does not respond.__**›**_

{16:26:11}**Oniisama**: I mean it. We could pull back on number four-one-six-five if you give us a good reason.

{16:26:17}#**4166**: That's a lie.

{16:26:19}**Oniisama**: Are you afraid of selling her out? She already sold you out a couple times for your benefit. We would be a lot worse on you if it weren't for her.

{16:26:28}#**4166**: That's a lie.

{16:26:32}**Oniisama**: Suit yourself. If you want to keep Samsara a secret from us, then we have no choice but to use her.

{16:26:39}#**4166**: Reincarnation has nothing at all to do with ████████.

{16:26:44}**Oniisama**: What about immortality?

{16:26:46}#**4166**: What?

{16:26:47}**Unmei**: That— You can't just…

{16:26:50}**Oniisama**: Don't worry about it. Four-one-six-six, answer the question, please.

{16:27:02}#**4166**: H-how did **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**[**SUPERFLUOUS TRANSCRIPT CONTENT REDACTED**]**

**18/4/203**

{19:43:21}**Tora**: Okay, we're all ready. You're getting taken back to your cell, number four-one-six-six. You sure gave us hell throughout the day.

{19:43:30}#**4166**: Good.

{19:43:30}**Tora**: Don't tell me you didn't enjoy our company.

{19:43:34}#**4166**: No, I love answering stupid questions.

{19:43:38}**Tora**: Really, I'm surprised you aren't exhausted. It's not like Unmei would let you sleep or anything.

{19:43:44}#**4166**: I don't care about what people let me do.

{19:43:50}**Tora**: I'll be sure to mention your continued bad attitude.

{19:43:57}████████: All ready here. Let's pick him up. Session over.

**TRANSCRIPT END**

* * *

Why didn't anyone tell me I got Kakashi's eyes switched up in the report?! I just realized it and fixed it, but it was wrong and visible for, what, a month?


	7. Layers Upon Layers

Disclaimer: Chapter one. You should go to it.

Aaand we're back to the narrative style. All my multi-chapters have alcohol. This one will not be an exception.

Actually, the basic plot to this chapter has been graciously provided by a college friend of mine. So here's my thanks to him.

* * *

A long, low hum resonated from the Sandaime Hokage's chest as he stared down at the scroll. The clear calligraphy blended in perfectly with the typed print, so much that only the eyes of those looking for the clues and the code could decipher it. Definitely the work of a professional, but he had long since acknowledged the skill of the anonymous writer and now only cared about the message.

This was a confirmation of what he'd already learned a few months prior, but he needed to affirm the evidence, and he needed the time; as it stood, with what he had, playing his hand would just cause an unnecessary upset. He had to wait until he was sure things were settled in with his plan before he could utter a syllable about his investigation into the Incident and the project surrounding it.

But now, he'll be able to act. After the exam seemed like a good enough time. However, there was definitely something more than a little disconcerting going on, and it wasn't just the death of Gekkou Hayate.

"Hokage-sama," he heard a familiar voice call, a slight hint of sarcasm tempered by protocol, and he inadvertently smiled. It really was nice to have his son back from the Shugonin Juunishi, after everything was said and done.

"Is there something you need, Asuma?"

"Yeah. Fixing Kikyo Castle. Someone tried to relegate the duty to me, but I have a team to train for the final part of the exam, you know."

The Hokage made an amused grunt. "Isn't there only one student of yours competing? Sounds to me like you're just looking for an excuse to be lazy."

"Don't confuse me with my students."

The Hokage chuckled. "I'm surprised you're more worried about that than about Hayate's death."

"Sure, I'm worried. But you sent out ANBU, and that old teammate of yours in the council insisted that we don't focus on it, which I agree on."

Hiruzen looked up and crossed his hands. "I do as well. However… some things have been happening that I haven't expected—outside of Orochimaru—and it's worrying."

"…'Outside of Orochimaru'?"

"Hmmm…" Hiruzen looked down at the scroll again. "When the ones representing Suna turned out to be _that team_, I felt there was an ulterior motive on the part of Kazekage-dono. To send his children to this exam… they could have waited until it was being held there, or most likely could have gotten their chuunin status _earlier_."

"I see what you mean. To send something like that Gaara out on something that's _supposed_ to at least pretend peaceful relations… Then, you believe Sunagakure are the ones working with Orochimaru."

"I don't want to jump to conclusions yet. But that wasn't my original thought when they came."

"And what did you think was the purpose originally?"

"… I had thought it was because of Baki specifically. It has me concerned."

"Their sensei?"

"There was something I'd planned to act on after the exam, and I had been conferring with Kazekage-dono on the matter until a little while ago, but then he turned silent." He gave another hum. "I thought his sending Baki was for the purpose of working on this matter further, but Baki has not approached."

"You've been planning something?" Asuma's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he countered it by accentuating raising a brow again. "Just what is it you've planned?"

"It's not nearly as major as you're thinking it is. Not a mission or a plot I'm working on. And I promise you will know… _after_ the exam. I just can't say anything yet because I'm afraid that the man that would be most affected by this information would be… a little hasty." He rolled up the scroll and set it aside. "Besides that, he's too busy to hear something like this."

The younger Sarutobi fought back the urge to groan and roll his eyes. There we go. Maybe it was natural that the Hokage should know things that he didn't want transparency on, but he had such a father-knows-best mentality about them that it was infuriating, always heavily implying that people are kept from this information for their own good. "So have you been keeping this tidbit from the investigation as well?"

"The ANBU know everything they need to know from me," the Hokage replied, a confident grin spreading tiredly into his tone. "And I'm sure they'll be quite interested in the exam finals as well."

.-.-.

Konohagakure bustled the way only hidden villages do, if not with more volume than most have. Baki had finished doing a bit of light investigation… not hard, considering the little upset he'd caused the other night when he met with Kabuto. Gekko Hayate was an interesting person it turned out, especially looking through his contacts. It piqued his interest a little that his ANBU lover had once served as the kohei under a particular captain.

It was the third year Baki had been the sensei of the Kazekage's children, and the third year since he'd gained his burns. Perhaps it was about time that they graduated to chuunin rank—gods know their egos were already pretty large, and Kankurou could use a little pressure—but the real mission objective was what was on his mind ever since he'd killed that Hayate a few nights ago. After all, it wasn't as if he'd have to worry about his students' progress during the month. Especially Gaara, as much a monster as he was outside even Shukaku sealed within him. Maybe he should have thought Gaara's actions with killing that Sound ninja should have been worrisome, considering the possibly precarious situation it could have made for them. But… then again, it wasn't like it mattered; Kabuto himself said the guy wasn't worth considering.

His students could certainly be reckless, to put it lightly. They gave him trouble too often that he wondered if anyone else could handle it.

When he was assigned to them, it was the Kazekage's opinion that, no, no one else could handle them. Baki had already more than proven over the years that he was a strong and loyal shinobi to him. He had endured the hardships and desolation of war. He was a capable fighter, a pillar of stability, and had fortitude, both mental and physical, that was tested again and again.

To put it simply: when a general asks of the casualties in his legion, the first number he's given is that of centurions who had lost an eye in battle. Baki would be one such centurion. An enemy jutsu took away his left eye and left behind a milky-gray orb, listlessly staring from behind scarred eyelids. This eye wept tears at times—no, it'd be more accurate to say that it _leaked fluid_—for which Baki opted to wear a cloth to cover his face instead of an eye patch that would catch and collect the irritating water. And errant grains during a sandstorm certainly wouldn't help.

So he lost his eye in battle, like a man.

It wasn't the same for his left ear.

Baki was one of the three ninja from Sunagakure that survived from the Matsubaran Incident, and, depending how one looked at it, was the only one that truly survived. He'd been separated from his team when he was captured, and he didn't see any other captive ninja, even in the adjacent cell, for the six weeks he had been there. That might have been worse than the physical torture, but the physical torture was what left him with those scars that he _didn't_ earn rightfully from combat. He remembered the voice of that woman in the torture rooms well for that.

She seemed to enjoy her job too much, especially where Baki was concerned. Those with wind affinity was rare, but that was his specialty, and she enjoyed greatly that she could use flames to torture him, which turned out to be her favorite method _because_ it left scars. He didn't know if fire was her affinity or not, but he did know she enjoyed smoking. She didn't get to do that during "work" usually… especially if there was a lightning affinity ninja in the cell, since their methods required airflow… so she relished it with him. There was even a favorite spot on his cheek she had to put out her cigarette.

"You like covering this side with that cloth of yours anyway, right? So it's no problem."

He remembered that voice too well. It was as clear as day; after three years, it still rang in his useless left ear like a ceramic bell, but that wasn't the phrase that stuck.

"You know that torture civilian gang leaders do, when they set someone's earlobes on fire with a lighter?" _Click click._ "I've always wanted to try that."

Being almost deaf in one ear didn't hinder him in the end; he could still sense anyone trying to sneak up on him without it, and indeed his senses were still sharp. But that ceramic-bell voice and the scratching clicks of the flint sat in his curled ear like it lived there, but of course, he endured it. He stood right back up when he was released and asked the Kazekage for another mission.

The life as a sensei to the three children of the Kazekage was that mission, and that decisive choice turned out to be a good one already. Baki had already held more loyalty towards the Kazekage than he did the lords that governed Kaze no Kuni, who time and time again cut funds to Sunagakure, dismissing them as an unnecessary expense, and damned if they didn't use the Incident as another line in the list of excuses they blabbed for their reasons. Each Kazekage made sacrifices, and Baki acknowledged that. He respected the Kazekage and everything he stood for to Suna; he wasn't from the bickering advisory council, or an untrustworthy politicians. He was a leader. He was another soldier.

The alliance with Orochimaru seemed logical enough because of that. Baki couldn't trust Orochimaru personally, and even now didn't like his taste in action. But the Kazekage willed they would work with him from the background until action for a purpose Baki couldn't disagree on: the status of Suna. They were second rate to their own country whose politicians would sooner turn towards Konohagakure for cheap soldiers than rely on their own ranks. What better time to show their dissatisfaction than during the final exam that showcased the skills of the villages to their potential buyers?

Someone caught his eye from the side and he turned, feeling a light pang of nostalgia a moment before he realized what had caused it.

"What can I say?" growled an irritable Asuma, "It's not like he's changed with that attitude."

The silver-haired jounin walking with him chuckled. "Not like you can say any different."

"Oi. You're Hatake Kakashi, right?"

Kakashi turned towards the call. "Hn? I am. You're… the sensei with those Sand kids, right? Baki? I believe we met during the exam."

"Well, right." Baki approached, grinning. "But we met before that, _too_. Over in Tanima no Kuni a few years ago, I'm sure you remember."

After an unreadable pause, Kakashi closed his visible eye and nodded. "Yes, I recall your face among the other ninja."

"Eh? Tanima no Kuni?" Asuma switched a look between the two ninja. "You two met _there?_"

"Ah. At Matsubaran-zan," Kakashi confirmed.

"Matsuba—" Asuma stopped himself. Somehow, even though he had seen the Gallows Party there for himself, he had forgotten the whole thing. How the hell could such a major slip his mind like that? Well, it wasn't like anyone _talked_ about it in Konoha, even Kakashi, but still it was pretty damn big. "Oh, right. Sorry."

Kakashi shrugged. "As it stands, Asuma, I have nothing better to do until I meet up with a student tomorrow. Baki, you're free to join us for a drink."

"He is?"

Baki either didn't pick up on Asuma's distrust for him, or he didn't care, since he actually smiled a little at the offer. "I think I will."

.-.-.

Baki placed himself on the left of the other two, more out of courtesy than the need to use his right eye and ear. The Leaf ninja found their impromptu drinking companion to be of the silent breed, very composed, however he wasn't necessarily cold. Rather he gave the impression that he had few words to share unless he had something important to say.

So it was apparent that this was important, as he spoke with a thoughtful smirk. "Three years already seems like a lifetime ago."

"Ah," Kakashi agreed, "That's why it's good to stay active."

"Right. For me, the Kazekage shoved me immediately into training… my team. Was it the same for you?"

"Not really. They watched me like hawks and vultures while I sat in the hospital, then I took a month leave."

"I had to get medical treatment, too, but not much. Then again, you actually got wounded from escaping. And you looked thinner than most."

"They had me in there for three months." Kakashi remarked offhandedly, sipping some sake through his mask, "Reports say most didn't live past two months in there, so I suppose that would be why."

"You were in twice as long as I. Some hospital time and a month, in that case, would sum up your recovery as a pretty quick one."

Kakashi did the same as he always did when he had gotten such praise: he shrugged. "People talk about the whole thing like I accomplished something, but all I did was survive and let myself rehabilitate as quickly as possible so I could get out of the damn hospital."

"This is interesting." Asuma propped himself on the bar with a fisted hand and leaned over to look at them. "In these past few years, I've never heard you utter a syllable about what happened, Kakashi. I heard you were pretty open about it the first couple days, then stopped talking." He snorted. "Come to think of it, I don't think I'd even seen your nose out of those books since I came back to Konoha, so I bet no one can even ask."

"Yeah, well…" Kakashi took another drink. "This is the first time I've talked to someone else that was in there since it happened."

Baki chuckled. "Same here."

"Hn?" Kakashi's visible brow rose and he looked over Baki again. "I was sure I saw other hitai-ate from Suna."

"Yeah, there were two other survivors, if you can call them that." Baki finished off his bottle and motioned for another as he talked. "One hung himself the night before he was set to go on his first mission after the fact. The other… she was in there a few months, and they forced her to retire with a generous severance pay. Most I see of her is when she leaves her house to get food. She can't even keep her head up for eye contact, let alone talk to anyone."

Kakashi grew quiet for a moment, drinking another sip to give him some distraction time to think of something to say. He failed to think of anything that got away from that line of conversation. "They were pretty cruel to the women, the way they used them. I'm not surprised she's had such trouble afterwards."

A frown drew on Baki's lips. "I'd like to say she's getting better over the years, but I can't really say. I don't see her often enough to gauge a change. Perhaps if they didn't force her into retirement and just put her on D rank missions for the time being instead."

"Maybe. That would at least get her out of her house, but people cope differently with such things, and it varies from situation to situation. Hell, the war wasn't a cakewalk for anyone involved, and we survived that."

Baki smirked again. "That we did. At least in the war, for its hardships, we can say something was accomplished."

Kakashi shrugged and took another drink through his mask, prompting Asuma to give an amused chortle from his own bottle.

"It's beyond me how you can drink alcohol through a cloth mask like that." He poked his thumb towards Kakashi's mask to accentuate the point, his grin wide. "Won't it get soaked?"

Kakashi tapped the spot before his lips where a large damp spot had steadily grown nearly to his nose. "Yeah, but the cloth is dark enough that no one will notice."

"Until they approach you and get a whiff of a sake brewery." He put down the bottle and turned towards the gray-haired jounin. "I bet that keen nose of yours can't even smell nattou when you drink."

"I don't eat nattou so I wouldn't know."

Asuma made a scoff of defeat and turned his attention to his cigarettes in his pocket. Baki raised a brow. "Come to think of it, didn't I see you there as well, Sarutobi Asuma? In the bleachers with the lords?"

"Eh? Well, yes." He packed the cigarettes and opened the box to pull out a stick. "I was with the Fire lord's escort in the Shugonin Juunishi."

"I thought it was odd that neither your lot nor the Hokage acted to stop that woman's execution."

The air was tense a moment, strong enough to seize them like a shock of foreign chakra capturing their movements. Asuma attempted to displace it and set the cigarette between his lips before striking his lighter. For a split second, he saw the flash of a glare from the Suna ninja's eye—a twitch and a sudden dilation. The moment passed as quickly as it had appeared, but it was definitely there.

Baki saw that Asuma caught his unconscious expression and smiled again with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "My apologies. I didn't mean to interrogate you like that."

He lit the cigarette and took a puff. "No, I can see why it seems strange, but the lord was hesitant to move. He was mostly very confused, trying to figure out what was going on before acting. I believe fa—Hokage-sama was doing the same. It was only a short pause, but an unfortunately crucial one nonetheless."

"'Unfortunately crucial'," Kakashi repeated in an uncharacteristically somber tone. Asuma bit down on the filter, regretting of his choice of words.

"Yagami Rin was her name, right?"

"Yes, she was…" Kakashi paused. "My teammate."

"That explains why you were able to escape like that. You didn't even appear to have any trouble with the chains."

Kakashi's brows furrowed. He couldn't remember having any trouble, but, to be honest, he couldn't even remember the chains at the moment. Did he forget about how he got rid of them in the heat of the moment? He decided not to mention it. "What was really impressive was Rin. Because of her chakra control, she was able to do a lot in the escape despite those seals they put on us."

Baki nodded. "I have to say, as I reflected on the whole thing later, I felt I great deal of respect for her as a fellow shinobi. If there weren't ninja in those woods, she would've escaped in proper defiance. It was amazing that the two of you could pull off that escape at all. It was hard enough for me to see where I was going for the sunlight."

Kakashi took another drink, staring straight ahead to examine the liquor bottle label he'd taken his time memorizing since they came in. "But if we _didn't_ act, she might not have been the one that was hanged."

"Better to die for standing up than to live by staying quiet in your chains."

The one exposed black eye that was trained so carefully ahead widened with shock, then softened and creased up with a smile. "That's true, isn't it?"

"She must have been very strong. The woman from my village I told you about? She was in there for three months as well. I couldn't imagine her trying to pull something like that off after it all happened. I'm sure if she'd survived, she'd still be in commission."

"Yes, she was strong." Kakashi took another drink. He was starting to feel warmth spread from his belly, and supposed it was a delayed effect from the sake. "I hope my student ends up as strong as her."

"Funny, I just was thinking the same thing about Temari. Speaking of women… Do you remember...Unmei?"

There was a groan and that feeling went away to a slight nausea. "Unfortunately."

"That's definitely the kind of response someone like her should illicit. What did she do to you?"

"Airflow on lacerations."

"You're lightning-type, then."

"Yeah. Wasn't pleasant, but probably not the worst that has happened to me. They at least closed up the wounds after the sessions. How about you?"

Baki's grin turned a little crooked and bitter. "She gave me a few burn scars."

"Ah. I guess wind-types aren't so rare in Suna, huh?"

They shared a knowing, sardonic chuckle.

"I hated every guard and staff member there," Kakashi admitted, "And I'm sure she was a particularly hated one. She sure as hell was a bitch, and, to be honest, I might remember half of my sessions with her. I either blocked out the rest or was encouraged to forget them. But if I came out hating one more than the other—which I don't think I did—it wouldn't have been her that reigned on top."

"She might be the one I hate the most, but only because she made sure to leave me with a _lasting impression_," he returned, then took another drink himself. "But you don't have a most hated?"

"If I did… I believe it would have been the one they called 'Oniisama'."

"I never came across him, myself. I heard him talked about, though. What was so bad about him?"

"He seemed to be a leader among them. He asked the most questions and… talked the most. Including about Rin."

"Oh, I see…" Baki frowned in sympathy. Asuma twisted his mouth and puffed. Well, this certainly explained why Kakashi didn't seem to care for Ibiki.

"Although that was a bad experience," Kakashi continued, leaning back a little and resting his forearms on the bar, "it's good to talk it over, isn't it?"

"Ah. To be honest, it's just good to hear some sort of confirmation that what happened three years ago wasn't some troubled hallucination."

"I can sympathize with that. Some of those hallucinations were a little... real."

Baki looked up, as if trying to see his thoughts. "The reoccurring ones were the worst for me. I kept having one with clams."

There was a pause in attempt to keep from offending their guest, but Kakashi and Asuma both broke up into a guffaw. Baki didn't seem to mind.

"Crazy, I know. They were always in the corner at the left of the door. Sometimes they opened up and pearls that turned out to be white ants tumbled out. Other times, the clams melted together and became a giant gila monster and would stalk around the cell."

Kakashi's brow rose. "A gila monster?"

"Large, venomous lizard we have in the desert. It has very distinct markings. Nasty things, but they're slow so they're easy to avoid."

Asuma felt a little subdued. "I can see that being a terrible hallucination."

"It wouldn't have been so bad if it only happened once, or if they weren't so damn realistic. Once I nearly convinced myself that the guards stored clams in my room, but the feeling always passes and I realize they aren't there.

"Yeah, my worst one was…" Kakashi trailed off. Silence reigned and he realized the two men were both staring at him from either side, waiting for him to finish his thought. He made small smile under his mask. "…A goblin. It climbed the walls and changed colors all the time. He laughed and talked the way little gremlin-things laugh on children's cartoons and was always eating something sticky and sweet, like dango or fried breads with syrup. Sometimes I would have sworn a drop of molasses had fallen on my forehead as I watched him crawl on the ceiling."

Asuma raised a brow with a disturbed smile and looked for an ashtray. When one was found, he knocked off the gray pillar of ash from the smoldering ember. "What sort of things did this goblin say?"

"Anything. Sometimes he talked about people that have died or past battles. Other times he listed numbers like he was reading a registration logbook. I think I remember one hallucination where he was reciting a recipe for lentil and chicken soup. Once he chanted 'go in, go out, go in, go out' over and over. Maybe that was more than once."

"Errr…" Asuma's eyes went wide and he suddenly didn't like the taste of the tobacco at all. The unfinished stick was promptly smashed in the ashtray and pushed away. "Well…" He coughed. "That's a… uhhh… that's just horrific."

"Hn?"

"'Go in, go out, go in, go out'?"

Kakashi chose the wrong time to take another drink of sake and sputtered. He honestly hadn't thought of it that way before. He had to take a moment as to what his subconscious was telling him.

…Or protecting him from…

He took on a cheery voice. "Anyway, it was still just a hallucination. It might have been realistic while I saw it, but I… I can tell the difference between a dream and reality." Then he added, "No matter what others might try to tell me."

_ What was that supposed to mean?_ Asuma looked on Kakashi in confusion while Baki shrugged and took another gulp of liquor. But Kakashi only looked back with his eye crinkled up to indicate his smile.

Eventually the conversation wore out and shifted, and it came to time that the three ninja would have to retire for the evening if they had any intention of getting up without a thrashing hangover the next day. Tabs were paid, and as they exited, each about to set off to their own bed for the night.

"It was… interesting sharing words with you, Kakashi." Baki stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged his broad shoulders. "You gave me a lot to think about."

"Same here. It's too bad we couldn't meet under better circumstances, hn?"

Baki blinked a moment, then gave a smile with a knowing glint in his eye that Asuma didn't miss. "That's true. It's odd that some villages gained treaties as a result from that mess, while others had unfortunately… _exacerbated_ what they already had."

"Right. Anyway, I have to get back to my apartment to sleep; I just remembered that I'm going to start training one of my students tomorrow." Kakashi held out a hand with his eye crinkled up. "May the best village win."

Baki gave a snort and took Kakashi's gloved hand into his own, offering his valediction for the night before returning to his hotel. After they parted, Asuma pulled out another cigarette—now rather much craving the nicotine since he hardly smoked at all earlier—and contemplated the conversations, with their many undertones, that he had heard through the evening.

The former Shugonin Juunishi felt like he learned something tonight about his father's intentions. Although he didn't exactly know what the Hokage was planning to do, he had a feeling what his plan might be about, and who the man he mentioned who would be "most affected by the information" was. But for his curiosity to be sated any further, Asuma knew he'd have to wait until after the exams. Then he'd be sure to harass the Hokage again about his plot.


	8. CLASSIFIED RECORD FOR PRISONER NO 4165

Disclaimer: One one one one one one one one one one there is no such thing as two.

And another uploader-killer. You guys must be tired of these by now. Luckily, this is the last of them… I _think_. It's so late because it was an uploader-killer: FFnet wouldn't let me go into HTML editing after I finished and uploaded the chapter to force through the black lines.  
Krazed - Thanks. Baki was fun to research and write... he's quite an interesting character. And, yeah, it'll happen exactly like that with the Fourth. I'm glad you guys don't mind it because going to pull that silly trick again next chapter.  
innocent - I'm not surprised in the least, myself. I rarely get lots of reviews, and I'm very aware that this fic is a bit in the realm of "WTF", about three miles before we get to Silent Hill. But really, thank you.

* * *

**CLASSIFIED RECORD FOR PRISONER # 4165**

A-CLASS DOCUMENT. ONLY THOSE WITH A-CLASS ACCESS OR ABOVE CAN VIEW.

THIS DOCUMENT RANGES FROM D TO S CLASSIFICATION.

**PRISONER INFORMATION**

**NAME**: Yagami Rin **SEX**: Female **AGE**: 23 **DOB**: 15/11/179 **BLOOD**: A

**HAIR**: Brown **SKIN**: White **EYES**: Brown

**VILLAGE**: Konohagakure **CITIZENSHIP**: Hi no Kuni **NINJA RANK**: Jounin

**ADDIT NINJA CLASS**: ANBU, Medic-nin

**ELEMENT AFFI**: Rock (prim); Water, Lightning (sec).

**DISTINGUISHING FEATURES**: Two diagonal (towards nose) violet rectangle tattoos on buccal area, ANBU tattoo on right shoulder.

**HOLD LOCATION**: MATSUCON # 41E **DATE/TIME SECURED**: 27/2/203 / 15:45 (approx.)

**BELONGINGS**: 1 leaf hitai-ate. 1 large medical pouch with contents: various medical supplies, 7 scrolls, 4 tags (explosive), 13 flash bombs, 5 rations, trap-making materials. 1 shuriken holster with 7 shuriken and 5 kunai. Konohagakure ANBU uniform: 1 porcelain mask (panda), 1 pair flak armguards (gray), 1 pair long iron guard gloves (black, fingered), 1 pants (black), 1 undershirt (black), 1 flak chest piece (gray), 1 pair tall combat sandals (black), 1 ninjato, 1 meter bandages. 1 brassiere (violet) and 1 panty (violet).

**CIRCUMSTANCES**: #4165 was drawn out by ANBU mission and captured while relaxing in their inn at ██████████ during the return from the mission's completion. One of two targets. Both targets taken during planned surprise assault while stopping at inn. Some injuries suffered on our side as a result of fight that broke out in confusion. Other two members in their team, confirmed **[**DATA REDACTED**]**, successfully fended off without unnecessary killing. Agents working the capture were █████, █████, and ██████ ████ leading. _See report IKE-416-56._

**PURPOSE**: Catalyst and possible subject in acquiring **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** _See Project Momotarou._

**DIET**: Base rations of bread, soup, and water. No set feeding time. No drugs unless stated otherwise by circumstance.

**HOLD REQUIREMENTS**: Cell is to be outfitted with fully-anchored carbon steel chains and manacles of standard size with category 3 length, otherwise empty except for the prisoner. Prisoner is to have a seal on his chakra at all times. Chakra seal will require constant maintenance. Prisoner is to be hooded when taken out of her cell. _See OCP iv-xiii._

**INTERROG & TORT**: Information from and usage of #4165 pertains to Project Momotarou. Maintain proper patterns of interrogation unless situations call otherwise. Guards are allowed full access to her and her cell at all times she is not in session or during meals as long as they log their times and activities. Forced intercourse encouraged as stated in directive for **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** #4165 is to be given primarily electrical shock torture due to her elemental affinity. _See Zeme-Method-4a. _Selective reprogramming and/or re-education after discerning specific information is not a full directive due to **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** Use joined cell occupant (#4166) as emotional pivot when necessary and vice-versa; allow auditory contact with #4166. Agent heading #4165's interrogation and torture is ████████.

**PROGRESSIVE LOG REPORT**

**27/2/203 17:23:06**

#4165 has reached MATSUCON. She was still unconscious. #4165's belongings were removed and chakra seals were made per Official Complex Protocol. Dressed in standard prisoner garments and placed in cell #41E. Immediately shackled.

**--20:22:04**

#4165 regained consciousness and responds to #4166, who has been calling her name from the adjacent cell.

**-- 21:56:32**

Guards ███████ █████ and █████ ███████ entered #4165's cell for forced intercourse as stated in the directive for **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**. #4165, as predicted, shows high distress and incompliance, screaming for help and shouting for the guards to cease. Belligerent behavior sparked in #4166. _See GOU-4165 for full progressive log on this directive._

**-- 23:02:22**

The first meal was brought to #4165 as well as #4166. As usual for first meals, it went untouched.

**28/2/203 19:21:25**

Meal brought to #4165 was ignored again. Guard's entering her cell still report violent behavior from #4166.

**1/3/203 20:38:56**

Meal brought to #4165 has been eaten, and she has encouraged #4166 to eat. No further documentation needed on meal consumption unless feeding behavior changes.

**--23:15:41**

#4165 shows quite heightened anxiety and emotional upset during the absence of #4166 while he was having his first session of torture and chakra seal check.

**2/3/203 00:50:11**

#4165 was brought in for her first session of torture and to check her chakra seal. Already shows evidence of need for frequent regular checks for her seals.

**9/3/203 13:47:33**

#4165 seems to already be adjusting to the modus, possibly due to positive reinforcement from auditory contact with #4166. Further investigation on this suggested.

**12/3/203 05:49:48**

Information obtained dealing with ██████ █████ and ████████ █████ is difficult to interpret. Reprogramming course suggested.

_(12/3/203)Oniisama: Course denied. I don't even have to discuss this._

**16/3/203 03:34:59**

Interrogation session has yielded good information concerning **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** and the people of **[**DATA REDACTED**]**

**17/3/203 07:13:17**

#4165 seems to have completely adjusted to guard use.

**22/3/203 15:51:09**

Medical examination by ███ reveals that #4165 does indeed have **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** It's suspected that the reason she hasn't **[**DATA REDACTED**]** from guard use is due to her skills as a medic-nin, as there is evidence of her possibly tampering with **[**DATA REDACTED**]** _See Project Momotarou._

**31/3/203 09:46:28**

#4165 is exhibiting rebellious behavior during guard use by being docile until an opening appears.

**3/4/203 20:11:43**

#4165 is in markedly better condition than other females by this mark (5th week) in the process. **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**6/4/203 12:27:55**

#4165 has afflicted grievous wounds to guard ███████ ████████ while he attempted to forcibly coerce her into performing fellatio. ███████ ████████ was immediately taken into the infirmary. #4165 has been punished and will be put on restrictive rations.

_(6/4/203)Side: Aahahahahahahahahahahahahahaa! MORON!_

_(6/4/203)Rega: He totally deserved it. That guy was a major prick._

_(6/4/203)Tora: Hah! Not anymore he isn't!_

_(8/4/203)Oniisama: Usually I'd reprimand you all for frivolous use of comments and edit them out, but these are all so very, very true._

**13/4/203 04:02:14**

#4165 is getting anxious concerning #4166's prolonged absence. _See TOIA-4166-COURSE-A._

**--06:58:21**

#4165 has been brought in for interrogation due to her increased anxiety and to be a leverage point to #4166. Another suggestion for a course to #4165 for reprogramming.

_(13/4/203)Oniisama: I already said "no". Stop asking._

**15/4/203 22:45:01**

#4165 is heavily anxious about the whereabouts of #4166, even though disorientation has been well under way and appears to be working. She is constantly yelling his name and banging on her cell door demanding to see him.

██**/4/203** **██:██:██**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** #4165 retained no injuries and has not been revealed during the attack. The attackers were identified as **[**DATA REDACTED**]**

_(23/4/203)Unmei: Goddamn Akatsuki! I swear, if I just had their leader alone for ten minutes with a cattle prod…_

_(23/4/203)Kondoru: I lie awake at night thinking about Unmei with a cattle prod._

_(24/4/203)601: As we all do. She's pretty frightening._

_(25/4/203)Jiken: Frightening? I thought it was a sexual thing._

_(25/4/203)Kondoru: DAMNIT JIKEN!_

**27/4/203 11:39:32**

#4165 has been given some tests along with the interrogation today. She has shown a positive reaction to ██████ stimuli based on █████. Discussion necessary on whether this information should be used to further Project Momotarou.

**--18:11:40**

It has been decided to continue with the previous patterns and allowances of the guards to #4165, but this will be the ultimate action later. Since there's already discussion about finalizing with the **[**DATA REDACTED**]** next month, there will be encouragement towards this strategy.

**3/5/203 14:03:53**

#4165 has definitely inherited **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** from ██████ █████'s death. However, information from this remains to be difficult to gather from #4165. Interrogation is allowed to be more rigorous for this purpose.

**8/5/203 01:26:28**

It's suspected that she has gotten visual contact with #4166 via electric lamp she had stolen from ████████ ██████. Request administration choice on whether or not this should be rectified.

**--16:42:20**

It has been decided to allow continued visual contact due to the accelerating progress on Project Momotarou.

**15/5/203 09:42:15**

Medical report: #4165 appears in generally good condition for this phase. There are a number of minor infections, particularly on her palms and under his fingernails, though they aren't as severe as a month ago. There is some minor inflammation in the inner thigh area. She also seems to be suffering from heavy iron-deficiency anemia. Expected evidence of atrophy in muscles. Analysis shows that there is little to no permanent damage to #4165's **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** No Typhus. No lice. Examination headed by **███.** _See MED-4165-42._

_(15/5/203)Side: Woo! Yes! The Project is good! And most importantly NO TYPHUS! Though shouldn't we be looking in on the cause of that anemia if it's so severe?_

_(15/5/203)601: Herp derp. Female of childbearing age, Side. Besides I've already given orders to put iron supplements in her rations._

_(16/5/203)Side: Oh, right. Duh._

**19/5/203 08:19:27**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** #4166 used as an emotional pivot against #4165 in **[**DATA REDACTED**] **by means of** [**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**22/5/203 06:00:01**

Most information obtained through this interrogation session was useless. However, there has been some amount of information about their plan for escape that #4166 would not give up earlier today. Not a significant amount, unfortunately.

**25/5/203 15:53:36**

Final stage of Project Momotarou achieved; #4165 is good for **[**DATA EXPUNGED**] **and #4166 has been chosen as █████ █████ for **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**1/6/203 10:21:40**

Questions concerning ████████ ██████ has been raising ire in #4165 lately. It is allowed to hold off on that subject and instead focus on the events surrounding **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**6/6/203 02:37:15**

Everything in directive **[**DATA REDACTED**] **of project Momotarou has been confirmed in today's interrogation session. Everything is set up; #4165 should be more than ready when we proceed with **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**7/6/203 18:53:51**

Final session of torture and interrogation performed. Nothing new learned, though some reaffirmed information. Cut short. #4165 was informed of her "execution" in a week's time.

**11/6/203 22:16:42**

████████ ███████ came by #4166's room to record his final request. #4166 requested marriage with #4165. #4165 agreed to relinquish her privilege at a final request for this. Good news on **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**14/6/203 12:58:20**

#4165 removed from her cell for hygiene. Original clothes (listed in belongings above) and hitai-ate returned to her. Brought to #4166's cell without hood.

**--13:04:00**

Final request of #4165 and #4166 fulfilled by Priest ██████████. Left together in #4166's for the remainder of their imprisonment.

**--15:21:34**

Final meals for both #4165 and #4166 brought to Hold #42E: 2 tempura udon, 2 broiled fish, 2 rice, pickles, 2 glasses orange juice, 1 bottle sake.

**15/6/203 15:29:34**

#4165 and #4166 removed from Hold #42E. They were hard to rouse from sleep and show evidence of **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** Tests later on with █████ necessary to be sure, but it looks like **[**DATA EXPUNGED – SEE PROJECT MOMOTAROU**]** They were forcibly taken into the procession of ninja inmates. Already showing signs of rebellion.

**--15:43:21**

#4165 and #4166 escaped the guards and made a break for the woods. The guards managed to recapture #4166 without our help.

**[**DATA EXPUNGED**]**

**--20:30:13**

**[**DATA REDACTED**]** was a success. #4165 has been collected and recontained in BERICON # 2N. #4165 has been put on a diet of **[**DATA REDACTED**]** by order of ███. Commencing medical progressive log. Reprogramming has been suggested again.

_(17/6/203)Oniisama: Who keeps making this stupid request?! Women do NOT become more suggestible from sensory deprivation as men do, and the contact with #4166 nullifies attempts via Stockholm's. THIS IS BASIC BRAINWASHING KNOWLEDGE PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS!_

_(19/6/203)Rega: This would be true for the first two requests, but #4166 is no longer an issue. Nevermind that we have other methods to our disposal, barring her status in the project._

_(22/6/203)Oniisama: I'm still reviewing the other methods, and it's just negligent to disregard the influence #4166 has left her with up to this point. If I rule reprogramming, then it'll me MY call, do you understand?_

**22/6/203 **

Test provided today has shown that #4165 is positive for █████ ██████████ ████████████.

**29/6/203**

**[**DATA EXPUNGED – SEE PROJECT MOMOTAROU**]**

**15/10/203 13:59:52**

#4165 is showing unusual behavior. Because of other strange occurrences, Project Momotarou might be coming to some difficulties. Assistance requested for additional surveillance. A hold on the project is impossible at this point, so agents should continue with extreme caution advised.

**--21:27:39**

#4165 has escaped from her hold under as of yet understood circumstances. ████████ is leading the team to bring her back into containment and the investigation of how she managed her escape. ████ is in charge of resealing the parameters. █████ is to be punished for failing to contain #4166.

_(15/10/203)Unmei: It's not my fault! Do you really think I'd let a blimp like her get past me?! She obviously had assistance!_

_(15/10/203)Tora: You're a shit guard anyway, Unmei. She probably snuck out and tapped you while you were snoring away like a buzzsaw. Don't blame your failures on others._

_(16/10/203)Unmei: That's some nerve you've got there, submitting a comment before running off to track with Oniisama. Just wait till you get back, pencil-dick. I've got some "friends" waiting for you in my room._

_(17/10/203)Jiken: I love report comments._

**17/10/203 15:36:08**

Trail on #4165 has grown cold. Redoubling efforts in peripheral information gathering concerning her. ████████ has ordered a few to go out as plainclothes spies, and ears are being opened in the vines.

_(17/10/203)Oniisama: I am not in a good mood. All of you are being punished for your frivolous comments, and your punishment is extending another week, Unmei._

**25/10/203 06:18:11**

Tip provided to investigation from a region near Kaminari no Kuni. A woman matching #4165's description has been seen with groceries exiting the market place of a small town called Kashou. Being investigated

**--22:41:23**

Tip turned out to be a dud. Difficult investigation because of the Cloud-nin. **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** Anonymous tips are now to be screened before checking.

**31/10/203 04:30:20**

Investigations using psychological profile information about #4165 obtained from interrogation have started. For further information, ask **[**DATA REDACTED**]**.

**16/11/203 08:24:41**

#4165 has shown no contact with Konohagakure or with anyone affiliated with Hi no Kuni. Investigations though likely spots where she might turn up for supplies and/or assistance have come up empty.

**26/11/203 17:42:04**

Evidence obtained from investigations headed by other complexes now indicates that #4165 has likely died from exposure and chakra burnout while in the forests of Hi no Kuni alone. ████████ has ordered for **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** Investigation will continue until she is found, whether what is found is her living body or her remains.

**6/12/203 20:03:45**

Search officially called off by order of Dajare. **[**DATA EXPUNGED**]** This leg of Project Momotarou is now listed as closed and abandoned.

**PROGRESSIVE LOG END**


	9. Reading Between the Lines

Disclaimer: Eno is Drawkcab for "one".

Imagine my surprise when I see a review on the last chapter when the chapter had only four views. Imagine my further surprise when it quickly increased by two. And then _five_ by the end of the day. Thank you guys! I really wasn't trying to appear that I was complaining about the lack of reviews, but it's very, very nice to get them regardless.  
Harteramo: How on earth did you read all eight chapters so quickly?!  
Port: Thanks for the compliments. I try pretty hard to keep all the characters IC so it's good to hear that they're characterized well. And yeah, Kakashi's and Rin's reports are pretty similar. I guess it makes it kinda boring, but it is the same paper system and they were influencing each other a lot.  
alex: Thank you! Yes, it's precisely those reasons that I expected (though you guys have disproved these expectations) few reviews.  
Butterfly: I'm glad people enjoy the log comments, because they were stupidly fun to write.  
Krazed: Dayum, nothing gets past you! I'm beginning to think you actually _do_ take the time to comb out all the clues. Which is _totally_ awesome and flattering, though it makes me feel like I have to up the ante. XD  
emerald: Your wish is granted.

* * *

It was a few days after the Hokage's death before Asuma realized his father had gotten away without exposing what he was plotting. This was just another thing in the list of personal angers that erupted in his father's choice to sacrifice himself, despite that he still had work to do, a grandson to watch grow up… Damnit! Just who did he think he is, anyway? Letting himself die like that, "for the good of the village"…! What was that supposed to _mean_, anyway, "good of the village"? What was so great about a military village that it had to be protected like that? Why did it need special treatment over the rest of the villages in Hi no Kuni? Why did it even _need_ him to die?

He didn't understand, so Asuma decided to figure these things out for himself and find out what his father meant, what his intentions really were. Including whatever he was planning to do before he died. Quickly, Asuma gathered that there were no indications of any one else involved in whatever he was planning (that was in the know, and still alive). The Kazekage he had likely been plotting with was found dead, and really the only clues Asuma had going were Kakashi and Baki. These two had one thing in common, and that thing was almost definitely the subject.

At first, Asuma tried to research all he could on what had happened, but despite the threat it had posed in the security of several nations, as well as the overall _weirdness_ of what happened, it wasn't a highly publicized event. Apparently, after all was said and done, the ninja villages did their tweaking and their discussions before leaving the issue behind like old news. And Konoha hardly did even that.

Asuma quickly learned a pattern: the amount of information a village let proliferate about freely was directly correlated with the amount of survivors they had and inversely to the size of the village, the only real exception being Kirigakure since they used it's momentum for a regime change. Bigger villages didn't seem to want the Incident mentioned, and many only allowed it because the survivors in their village _insisted_.

Kakashi was the only survivor from Konoha. What did they do to keep him silent? All Kakashi offered during that discussion with Baki was "there was no one to talk to about it".

There had been times that Asuma almost got Kakashi to say a little bit of something. There was definitely a sense of tension concerning the matter between Kakashi and ANBU. It wasn't hard talking to Kakashi during the years his students had all left to train with the Sannin (for better of for worse) while he continued his own way of training and mission taking. And though Asuma found the official reports stating that Kakashi had no contact with Rin during those three months, he couldn't help but get the vibe that Kakashi had, somehow, gotten closer to Rin during that time. Still, Kakashi was generally closemouthed, and there was a feeling that he was reluctant to talk about Rin for some reason. Maybe it had something to do with that official report…

He once asked Kakashi, "Why don't you ever visit with Rin's family?"

"Do you need advice for meeting Kurenai's parents or something?"

The comment didn't fluster Asuma enough to miss that Kakashi equated "meeting Rin's family" with "Kurenai's parents". "I know her little brother and her parents died a while back, but there's still other people in her clan, right?"

Kakashi shrugged. "We never talked to them that much."

_"We."_

So getting information was like pulling teeth, and the general silence was infuriating for such an investigation. More than once Asuma got frustrated with the lack of information and the difficulty surrounding finding any more and gave up, tossing the material he'd managed to acquire to a corner and going off to meet his students or talk to Kurenai or have a cigarette, or _anything else_ instead.

Last time he made an attempt, he managed to get into some of his fathers files when Tsunade wasn't looking. They didn't help as much as he thought they would; too much of it assumed the reader was in the know of things, so someone would need to understand the references in order to fully comprehend the dialogue being made in these papers. But he did catch something:

_ Momotarou._

It quickly became obvious that if Asuma could figure out the drive behind the operation with that name, he could likely discern the subtext in the files, and the whole mystery may unfold before him. Projects and operations that are named usually have codenames that reference the purposes, and the name "Momotarou" was Asuma's only clear lead this time.

"Momotarou" was a figure in a legend: A giant peach floats down a river and is picked up by an old, childless couple. A little boy is inside, sent by the Heavens to the couple to be their son, and they proceed to raise him. He grew up to slay oni along with three talking animals, saved the day, and returned home.

Asuma couldn't come up with anything by considering the entire myth, so he just ran with the most important part: the peach. He got his hands on a few trade reports to check out the quantity of peaches being bought and sold between areas. He didn't find much unusual through that. He tried looking into lists of Kiri-nin—if only because they seem to have a tendency to name their people after fruits in Mizu no Kuni—but didn't come up with anything worth noting.

At one point, he included some more mythology on peaches, like the goddess Seiobo who grew peaches that could grant someone eternal life. Rereading the files with this in mind brought in a few connections; there had been mentions of immortality and longevity. However, he didn't get any good information from this in the end. What was the use of bashing your head in on something like this, anyway?

He threw his hobby away again, asking himself why he had to take on such infuriating little projects in order to _unwind_. But he soon enough had a new distraction to his life, when Kurenai invited him to dinner and, with a nervous blush and with a resolutely steady stare that was trained _to the side_, told him, "Asuma, I'm pregnant."

This was a very good distraction from his daily life, because her words emptied his mind like a slate wiped clean. Every report deadline, problem with his old team, bill to pay, and argument with the neighbors just went _poof_, gone. In that blank state, he had to decide whether or not this development made him happy or scared, and since he couldn't come up with anything, just came out as confused. This face of his was the one Kurenai was carefully scrutinizing to find any hint of approval or disapproval, coming up confused herself, and leaving the two baffled for several long seconds.

Asuma did, eventually, see Kurenai's confusion and tried to pull himself out of it. Still, though, he didn't find himself with any sort of direction. Maybe he was in shock. "Ah, well," he started, "Then… we should start living together and get married, right?"

Thankfully, Kurenai smiled. "You sure? You always get so upset when the others tease you about me."

"Yeah, well…" Asuma found himself scratching his head, then began laughing. "What is wrong with us? It's not like we didn't expect for this to happen, right? Why are we acting so weird about it?"

Kurenai's smile curled like a laugh. "Yes, that's true. But we never really talked about it."

"We never thought we had to." He continued smiling and shrugged. "I think we've been taking a lot of things like that for granted as we get older."

"That's true… Asuma?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm… very glad you aren't angry. About this, or at me."

"Heh… I don't think I could ever be angry with you, Kurenai. Especially not for getting _you_ pregnant."

She giggled, and a comfortable feeling started to settle down on them.

The news did start to change Asuma's attitude, though. He kept wondering what sort of father he'd be like, and invariably had to compare himself against his most definite exposure to the matter: _his_ father, the Sandaime Hokage. Where he had flippantly disregarded many of his father's inclinations he didn't understand before, calling them strange and letting it go at that, he found himself actually examining everything he could have meant, not because of some weird hobby, but because he honestly wanted to know. And he actually did begin to understand his father a little bit. Yet, he couldn't help but feel somehow _alone_. That isn't correct, since Kurenai was certainly going to be there, and he didn't only know bachelors… although his close friends _did_ tend to be bachelors, come to think of it. He eventually turned to his older sister for guidance. She did, after all, have a twelve-year-old.

She seemed to have heard about it before Asuma had the chance to tell her, whether it was from gossip or Kurenai informing her personally. Either way, she seemed very happy that she wasn't going to be the only one in the family with a child, herself being a single mother.

"I think Otou-chan would've been overjoyed to hear that he was going to be a grandfather again," she said.

"'Otou-chan'? You really were closer to him."

"Idiot, he loved you, too."

"Maybe, but didn't he care for everyone in the village?"

His sister looked him over a moment, then chuckled. "I knew it. You were jealous all these years."

"What? Jealous? Don't be ridiculous, Asago."

"Yes, jealous. Since he always spent his time as Hokage, watching over _everyone_, so sometimes it didn't feel like he was paying attention to us. I might've held that against him, too, when we were younger. But after Konohamaru was born..." She smiled. "I grew up a little."

"So you're saying I didn't grow up, huh?"

Asago huffed. "My little brother will always be my little brother. You'll get to understand Otou-chan soon enough, too, when _your_ little son or daughter is born. Or even before that. You'll begin to see that wanting to see your kid succeed and have a happy life means that you'll have to make sure that the world they're born to and grown up in is a good one. I'm surprised that you don't already understand such a thing. You were a sensei, right? All three of your students graduated to chuunin status, didn't they?"

He looked at her seriously while he mulled it over. Of course he felt pride for his students, and he had worried as they had grown up over the years. He couldn't help but hope for the best for them, and try to help them improve and grow as much as he could. When he discovered Shikamaru's genius, he did his best to encourage and cultivate it. More often than not he found himself treating Chouji, if only because he found himself enjoying rewarding him for a job well done on a mission (though it wasn't always kind to his wallet). Ino he had trouble relating with for a while, but time passed quickly and she developed into a strong kunoichi.

They were cute kids three years ago. Now they're strong ninja. And they will also be fighting for… what exactly? More and more they seemed to understand the value of protecting your teammates. Asuma could definitely understand something like that. Dying for a cause… yes, he could understand, but…

Was that what his father died for?

"Asuma? You okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I guess I got a little lost in thought." When his eyes met his sister's this time, he saw the knowing spark in them.

"Seems like the news of having a kid is making you very introspective lately, huh?"

"Heh. Maybe it has. But you seemed to have dealt with it."

She shrugged. "Sometimes I wonder, because the ninja lifestyle doesn't seem to coincide well with family life. Missions can keep parents from their children for weeks at a time, and there's always a chance they could die while they're out there. Hell, Konohamaru's father died on the battlefield before we managed to get married." Her eyes went to the window, and her smile took a sad tint. "But I forgave him for it, because it's a ninja's duty to die for what they believe in."

Duty, huh? Maybe he understood a little better, now. But still, so much unexplained, so much hidden "for their own good"…

"Ah, I'm just rambling. But really, I'm so happy you'll be in the same boat as me now! I was afraid you and Kurenai were going to dance around the issue forever and never hook up until the two of you were old and barren. Youth-giving peaches don't float down the river in real life, you know."

Asuma was laughing with his sister's jabs, but it ended with his eyes popping open. "What? What do you mean by peaches?"

"Just a joke, Asuma. You know, the story of the peach that the old couple finds and eats. Nevermind, I hate explaining jokes. Takes all the fun out of them."

"No, I mean… which story is that?"

"It's the Momotarou story! A large peach comes down the river and the old woman finds it and eats some of it, and she turns young. Then she goes home and gives it to her husband and he eats it, so they're both young. Then they have a passionate romp from being rejuvenated and, nine months later, they birth Momotarou. Don't tell me you don't know that old story."

"I was under the impression that… Momotarou was _inside_ the giant peach."

"Ohh... Sorry, I forgot there are _two_ versions. That version is better known, isn't it? The one I'm talking about is the _older_ version."

The new information processed in Asuma for a few seconds, then he rose. "I'll have to talk to you later, Sis."

"Eh?" She watched as he threw on his jacket. "Wait! What's with you all the sudden? You look like a ghost just came up and slapped you in the face!"

"That's one way to put it." He zipped up his vest. "I'll see you later, okay?"

He was just lucky that Tsunade and Shizune weren't in when he got there and started to pull through files, rifling through the birth records. His head was a mess as he tried to apply the Naegele's Rule that Kurenai had used to calculate their baby's due date to determine the best time for "Momotarou" to have been born. If Kakashi and Rin did have contact sometime before they were released…

…He found it.

It was a short entry and named no names, though it had its own sheet, likely because it was added in later. It was obviously handwritten rather than properly typed up. He stared at it nearly in disbelief—that it could be so easy to find, and that it was here this whole time—and pulled it out.

_Birth Time__: 14:13, March 8__th__, 204._

_Sex__: Male_

_Blood Type__: O_

_Birth Length__: 50.7 cm_

_Birth Mass__: 3.21 kg (AGA)_

_Head Circumference__: 35.6 cm_

_APGARS__: 9_

_There were no complications and we did all necessary birthing procedures. We've been keeping him in the countryside by Takigakure since then. I'm sorry this report in came in so late, and that it's so thin, but I know you'll understand._

_I also wish I could tell __him__ how sorry I am.  
Thank you, Hokage-sama._

Amazing. It had been almost six years and Asuma was able to recognize Rin's curvy penmanship. He put it aside and continued looking though files, the whole situation—and his father's intentions—laid out for him with each sheet and scroll he'd found while everything began to fall into place. When Tsunade did return to the office, he didn't bother to hide his investigation. By that point, he understood nearly the whole operation. What it was for, what happened then, what happened later. It all made sense, now.

Tsunade was silent for a long time when she looked on Asuma's audacious behavior of rooting through classified files he had no clearance for. He was even sitting at _her_ desk with all his research, and he didn't even spare her a glance though he knew she was there.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself, Asuma."

He still didn't look up at the Godaime. "I'd say the same thing to the Hokages for keeping something like this secret from their own ninja."

She snatched the paper he'd been reading from his hands and scanned over it. It took some seconds for her to realize what he had meant, and she grimaced. "This isn't any of your business."

"Isn't looking out for my friends my business?" He eyed her seriously.

"I hope you know this is grounds for disciplinary action."

Asuma didn't appear perturbed. "Why didn't you tell Kakashi?"

Tsunade looked down at him with anger creasing her forehead. She didn't like being questioned like this, especially about something so sensitive. Why should she have to explain herself just because he was snooping around in areas he shouldn't? She shut her eyes and her brows unknit. Then again, this was an unusual situation, and partially her fault. "Look, Asuma, you have to understand… I didn't realize the depth of what happened until nearly a year after I became Hokage. I couldn't tell Kakashi _then_; with his students gone, he'd have left as soon as he could to find her, and I needed him _here_. Hell, the village needs him now more than ever, and it won't do to stress him with it. It has to _wait_."

His stare at her moved to ahead as he waited for his resolution to resurface. He gave a sigh and got up from her chair. "He deserves to know."

"Asuma!"

"If he's in a hospital bed, then he's not going to run off, and he's got time to think it over." He didn't wait for her response before he body-flickered out of there with a puff of smoke. The Hokage couldn't follow, for it was right after that when an ANBU came in to give her a report on the Akatsuki's movements. She could only hope for the best.

And he had such a serious face on when he'd bumped into his students outside the hospital that they seemed a little perturbed. He laughed it off and, when they informed him that Kakashi's team should now be in his room to visit, invited them to come with him, if only because they'd provide a great distraction. They didn't seem to pick up on it, except for maybe Shikamaru, who kept a watchful eye on his sensei's face while they approached.

So he made sure to put on his best grin. "How're you doing, Kakashi?"

"Asuma-sensei!" Ino shouted, "At least knock!"

He paid it no mind and invited himself in with his three students following. It didn't take long for the two teams—with the new addition of Sai to replace Sasuke—to get themselves into a discussion amongst themselves. Asuma sat down on Kakashi's bed, grinning at these ninja who'd he'd watched grow up, and taking his time to figure out just how to tell Kakashi:

"_I know this is a shock, but I found out what happened at Matsubaran-zan…"_

_Too roundabout._

"_Rin's alive and you have a son."_

_Too blunt._

"_Hey, guess what? We're in the same boat. Kurenai's pregnant, and Rin…"_

_That's a bit… ah well. Maybe I should just wing it._ "You guys go on ahead to Yakiniku Q. Team Kakashi, you three go with him."

"Yay! Yakiniku!"

"You've got it!"

"I've got something to talk about with Kakashi." Asuma lowered his head, but he was still grinning. "So the Yakiniku's on me."

They left with little more coaxing, and soon the two were alone to talk. Asuma hesitated.

So Kakashi took up the initiative. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, you see…"

Click… "There you are." And there was Kurenai. The whole ball dropped in Asuma, and suddenly he didn't have the nerve.

"Oh, Kurenai. Do you need something?"

"I heard Asuma was here and so…"

Game over.

"Hmm… Asuma, what'd you have to tell me?"

"…" Maybe he couldn't tell Kakashi now. "Nothing. I'll just catch you when we have more time." Maybe he_ shouldn't_ tell Kakashi now. "Sorry."

And he left with Kurenai by his side, mulling the whole thing over. Later, he felt himself come to some sort of resolution. Kakashi was gone, off training Naruto now, but maybe that was for the best. He could only hope well for the future. For his students, for his child in Kurenai, for the future of Konoha, even for the kid that Kakashi never met, but almost certainly will, someday.

At some point, he visited his father's grave.

"…Maybe I'm finally coming to understand what you were talking about."

* * *

There are a couple theories surrounding what was interrupted. The consensus seems to be things along the lines of a "Kurenai is preggers, so if anything were to ever happen to me…" discussion, which I agree with, but it's fun to speculate.


	10. Monkeys Behind the Waterfall

Disclaimer: Chapter one it is in. Also: thar be OCs in these parts.

Weird coincidence. I mention Takigakure, then make a chapter (this one) with a ninja from it, and Kabutomaru attacks it. Hah, fun times. And I'm very glad you guys don't appear angry with me for pulling the same trick _twice_ (and both times with a Sarutobi).  
Butterfly: Heheheh. You're certainly on track, but there's more than one reason to mention the Akatsuki.  
Krazed: Looks like I get to answer a few of your questions this time.

* * *

Lima Syndrome is most easily described as the inverse of Stockholm Syndrome, where instead of the captive feeling sympathy for their captor, it is the captor who feels sympathy for their captive. It's not talked about as much because it doesn't seem as staggering as Stockholm, and it just isn't as commonly diagnosed when it comes right down to it. Strong ninja certainly don't have to worry about it, because they know better than to show sympathy to the enemy. Surely, if a shinobi found himself falling to such an absurd thing, it was because of his own weakness, and the best thing to do is to cut it off before the inclination becomes too self-destructive.

Not too long ago, he wholeheartedly agreed with this.

Ginzu was reading over the mission report as he walked leisurely through the countryside. Takigakure kept him as busy as it ever had, because he was a man of experience and leadership. He was punctual and tall with square shoulders, and looked at home when standing by the crashing waterfall with his chin up and chest out as mist and splashes danced. Self-control is important to any ninja, and as such, only the most perceptive could tell that at this moment he was mulling over how to tell the latest news to his best friend.

That is, if she's even _home_ at the moment.

A sliver of gray and brown ran past Ginzu's vision and the report was gone from his hands. His head shot to follow by instinct, watching as a quick snow monkey zipped up a tree and turned itself around on a branch. It leered at him with its red face and made a mocking call, waving and slapping the scroll he'd been reading above its head like a trophy.

Ginzu frowned. He already had a pretty good idea what this was about, and was starting to feel annoyed. Of course, that someone like him could even get annoyed… that was special. It took talent. "Give it back."

The macaque made another mocking cackle and proceeded up through the trees. The ninja sighed, knowing he had no choice but to play along, and jumped to follow.

Branches and leaves zipped past as they dodged from bough to bough. The monkey, being much smaller than Ginzu, dodged without trouble between the sticks and generally took the route that would give the towering Ginzu the most trouble for his size. Clever little thing, he had to admit, but a trained jounin like him was still faster and more skilled.

When he saw a chance to close in quickly, he catapulted himself off a trunk and reached out one of his broad, overlarge hands to capture the monkey by the scruff of the neck. He took hold, and the monkey screeched and tugged away much more easily than it should've been able to. Ginzu hesitated a moment, not understanding why it could escape like that, his mind not fully registering at first that the fur felt slicker than it looked. Then he looked down at his hand.

Blue greasepaint was smeared on his large palm and fingers from where he made the grab. Well, if he didn't know what this was about a second ago, he knew without a shadow of a doubt now. He scowled and started after the monkey again. "BAAJIRU!"

The monkey didn't run like a normal monkey anymore, giving up its simian movements for more human-like acrobatics. On top of that, he didn't seem to have actually been paying attention to where he was running off, anymore, because when the monkey reached the end of the woods and jumped out into empty space over a long drop, he made the scream of a frightened child. Ginzu saw the danger and threw some extra chakra into his legs to leap after him and catch him in his arms. He landed in a crouch and straightened up, holding a cringing monkey.

"Okay, Baajiru. Game's over."

The monkey shivered, then looked up at Ginzu with the most doleful and innocent eyes it could muster.

"Not going to work! Who else puts that gunk in their hair except you? Drop the henge already, kid!"

With a puff of smoke, the monkey disappeared, replaced by a boy with messy blue hair, similarly blue cheeks, and a foolish grin. "Hi, Ginzu-ojisan!"

He sighed and snatched the mission scroll from Baajiru with a free hand. It was scuffed up, of course, and had more than a couple handprints, but it was closed and protected from the greasepaint, at least. "I need to go over this mission before I get back to Taki tomorrow. It's important and has to do with some troubling affairs, so I'd appreciate it if you _didn't_ destroy it."

"Whatever you say, Ginzu-ojisan!" he piped cheerfully. Ginzu shook his head. This kid was like a strawberry: when he was good, he was the sweetest tyke you've ever met, but when he was bad... he was just plain _rotten_. And he could switch between the two at the drop of a hat. It often made the otherwise calm and collected shinobi want to pull out his hair and mustache out of frustration.

Baajiru hopped down from Ginzu's arms, allowing the ninja to put away his scroll and wipe the greasepaint from his hand onto his pants. "You came to see Okaa-san, right?"

"Is she home?"

"Yep! She came home yesterday from her job! Come on!"

They started off walking a normal pace. The house wasn't far, so they could take their time. "Yesterday, is it? How was she when she got back?"

"She was a little tired and beat up, but she was still able to make me train all day after school."

"You sound like you're complaining."

Baajiru made a shrug with a little hum. "I'd rather play with my friends sometimes, but I wanna be strong like you two, so I guess I don't mind much… and besides, I get bored at that old bag's house. Ow! Leggo of my ear!"

"How many times do I have to tell you to speak of your elders with respect? My great-aunt watches you when your mother is gone out of the goodness of her heart, you know."

"That and for the money Okaa-san pays her. OW! I'm sorry, Ginzu-ojisan! I won't say it again!"

"You'd best not," he barked curtly, then grimaced at the bit of blue greasepaint that had gotten on his hand again. "Baajiru, you need to stop putting this stuff in your hair and on your face. Doesn't your mother make you wash it out every time you get home?"

Baajiru shrugged again.

"So why do you do it. Eh??" He rubbed down hard on Baajiru's head with the already painted hand. "I'll make you answer me!"

The child laughed and a genuine smile took hold. "Well, it's 'cause she told me that when I become a ninja, I'm going to get face tattoos like her, 'cept they're going to be blue like this."

"I understand _that_, but what about your _hair?_ It's not like she's going to have you dye _that_ blue when you become a ninja."

The smile fell. "Well… it's 'cause my hair isn't like Okaa-san's."

"…But her hair isn't blue, either. It's _brown_."

"I know, but…" He looked at his feet and kicked as they walked. "I don't like having hair like my father's."

Ginzu stopped dead. He felt an almost overwhelming urge to kneel down and hug the boy, but he battered the feeling down and continued walking before the child could ask what was wrong. That Baajiru had no wish to associate with a father he didn't know and didn't know him wasn't any of his business. It wasn't his place to tell him that his father would love to know about him and would be proud of him, nor should he try to step in and act as the boy's father figure himself. No, he definitely couldn't do _that_. He looked up and saw they were approaching the house. Good! Something to diffuse the somber air! He picked up his pace and bid Baajiru to follow suit with a gesture. "Oi! Rin!"

A pale, feminine face with purple markings peaked out from the open doorway as Ginzu and Baajiru approached. She walked out to greet the two and smiled warmly at them, and she outstretched her hand to rub her son's mane before she suddenly recoiled and glowered at him. "Ara ara, Baajiru. How many times to I have to tell you to quit wearing that stuff! Do you have any idea how bad it is for your skin and scalp?"

Baajiru frowned. "Do you want me to wash it off, Okaa-san?"

She sighed. "No, not yet. I'll want you to train some, and you might as well wait until after you get dirty."

"Ehh? Training again?!"

"Everyday. Now, after my last job, I need to fix and replace some of my tools, so we wont be working with them for a while."

He pouted. "But I want to work with weapons."

"Tough."

"Why can't I use Ginzu-ojisan's weapons?"

Ginzu laughed, and before Rin could answer his question, he pulled out one of his oversized kunai. "You can't use these; they aren't standard issue. See?" He turned the weapon slowly for Baajiru to examine it. "Way too big for a kid like you."

"Heeeh… that _is_ pretty big, actually. Why are your weapons so big, Ginzu-ojisan?"

"Because I can't even _use_ standard issue weapons." He chuckled and twirled the kunai a little before putting it back away. "My hands are too large. Always were. It made me clumsy with weapons and hand seals while I was growing up, and I still don't really use ninjutsu or tools. Just taijutsu and genjutsu… and genjutsu only when I'm not pressed."

"But you can still ask Ginzu about genjutsu if you have questions, because he is still very talented with it, right?" Rin smiled up at him. Ginzu cleared his throat and pretended that he wasn't getting flattered, and that there wasn't a redness coming up on his cheeks.

"If you say so, Rin."

"Of course I do. Okay, Baajiru. Start with a bunshin no jutsu—make three clones—then, while you concentrate on keeping them up, I want _you_ to walk up the side of that tree."

He whined. "That's too hard! I can't do two things at once like that!"

"Step to it!"

"But I'm not even in a ninja academy yet! Just normal school! Why should I train so hard when it's not going to get me any closer to being a ninja?"

"It'll just make it that much easier when you _do_ enter an academy."

"No!" He crossed his arms. "You push me too hard! And when you leave, you're gone for too long! I hate it! You're a terrible mother!"

Ginzu felt his shoulders stiffen in alarm, even though the child's jabs weren't towards him. "Baajiru! That's unfair! Your mother's just—"

"It's okay, Ginzu," Rin interrupted. "Maybe he's right. I'm a terrible mother."

"But Rin…!"

She crossed her arms similarly and glared down at her son. "I shouldn't have had you, then. Perhaps instead of being a mother, I should have aborted you and saved myself from birthing and raising you."

Baajiru gaped.

"Wow." Ginzu swallowed at stared at Rin. _Now that's about three steps past harsh and two steps before childhood trauma._

"I'm sorry, Okaa-san! I didn't really mean it!"

"You didn't?" She looked down at him with comical suspicion, obviously holding back a mischievous grin. "So you don't want me to send you to an orphanage, then?"

"Noooo, no I don't! I won't say such a thing again!" He started tearing up. "I only want Okaa-san to be my Okaa-san!"

Rin burst into a laugh, which prompted Ginzu to follow. "Maah, Baajiru! I wasn't serious! Don't cry! If you get tired, just stop training and tell me, okay? I don't want you to get to the point of chakra burnout."

"Okay." And he set out to the training Rin had ordered. Ginzu chuckled while the two found a place to sit and watch him.

"It's clear where he gets that skewed attitude of his from."

Rin gave him a sideways glance and scratched the back of her neck. "I used to be a nice, shy person, you know."

"Not when I first met you."

She snorted. "You weren't in a _position_ to see me be a nice person when you first met me."

"I suppose not." Ginzu didn't press it any further. He'd long since come to the conclusion that Rin actually _was_ the spiteless woman she'd described herself as before, but had changed because of what happened. It wasn't necessarily bitterness about her experience that he'd call the cause (though that certainly would have played a factor), but what he called "personality osmosis" from being so connected to Hatake Kakashi during that time. Of course, that meant saying _Kakashi_ must've been a piece of work if his continual exposure to Rin made her so sarcastic…

"_I feel that I've been rather indiscriminate in my hatred for the people in this place."_

"_I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"_

…But Ginzu was more than ready to accept that fact. "How was your mission, Rin?"

"When you're a single mercenary, it's not really a 'mission'. It's just a 'job', maybe even a 'gig', but I'm not getting handed a mission scroll or anything." She laughed and shook her head. "That doesn't answer your question. It went fine. I did what I was supposed to, got paid, and didn't bump into anyone that would make life more difficult for me."

"Still, a mercenary life isn't a healthy life."

"I don't have a choice. Ginzu, I'm a ninja; that's my identity. And besides that I need money. Luckily mercenary jobs tend to pay better than village jobs at the same difficulty… even if they are a bit more risky... so I don't have to take jobs often. And I'll never be short of work, since no one turns down the services of a medic."

"I'm more concerned about how your village will take the freelancing when you return."

"Sandaime Hokage-sama gave me special dispensation, and Godaime Hokage-sama reconfirmed it. All I have to do is keep track of the records for when I do eventually go back. I already wrote up a report yesterday on it and file it with the rest, but that'll just sit there and gather dust like the rest."

Ginzu hummed a low note. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Hmm?"

"I came to give you some news. A lot of things have happened the past couple of days along with the meeting at the summit. The Hokage-Elect Shimura Danzou has been killed."

She blinked at him. "Really?"

"Yeah, so… you should probably get ready to move soon."

"…" She looked ahead at Baajiru, who had fallen again and accidentally lost one of his illusory clones. "…I don't know if I'm ready, yet. I mean, I've been away so long, and _Kakashi_…"

"Kakashi is why you have to get ready."

"Huh?" She jumped a little. "What do you mean?"

"He's now acting Hokage."

Her eyes popped. "…_Kakashi_ is acting Hokage?!"

"And, from what I surmise on his personality, it won't take _three days_ before he goes into the classified files in Konohagakure to figure out what happened at Matsubaran-zan and finds out you're still alive."

"Oh no…" Rin cringed and held her arms. "Oh no… no, no, no, Ginzu, I can't go back yet! I-I'm not ready to see Kakashi again yet! Not like this! And with Baajiru, I… how am I supposed to explain myself?"

_Why is she panicking like this? Isn't this good news?_ "Rin, you said yourself you wanted Baajiru to go to the academy in Konohagakure, and that you were going to do it as soon as Root was no longer an issue. It only follows that you'd have to talk to Kakashi as well."

"But… I didn't expect it to be so soon. Oh god, what will I tell him?"

"I think he'd just be happy that you're alive."

"I left him behind, Ginzu! I... I didn't tell him about being away because I couldn't trust ANBU or Root to not force the information from him, and he'll take that as my not being able to trust him _personally_. And... oh god, I left him alone for so long. He kept saying that he wanted to be the one to protect me, and instead of that, I..." She trailed off and shook her head. It didn't matter, because Ginzu knew what she was getting at.

"You'll... just have to trust that he'll get over it, Rin."

"But what about _you?_"

He gasped involuntarily, and found that his heart skipped a beat. _No, don't react that way. That's not what she meant. Don't go interpreting things the way you want._ "I'll just... step out of view."

Rin looked unconvinced and scratched the back of her neck again, but didn't question any further.

"I have more news," Ginzu started again, "The person who killed Danzou was that student of Kakashi's that defected. Uchiha Sasuke."

"...Is that so."

"Yes and... well. I'm sorry, Rin. I know I promised you that I could make that boy reflect, but I failed. I didn't expect that the effect of my genjutsu would have ended up so futile, since he reacted so strongly to it _at the time_. But I… I should've learned to not make this kind of promise."

"That's okay, Ginzu. You didn't even have to do it. The only reason I asked was… I just wanted to make things a little easier on Kakashi and the rest of Konoha. And, well, the Uchiha name."

"…I thought you didn't like the Uchiha."

"I didn't like _particular_ Uchiha."

Ginzu took a breath. No sense pressing _that_ subject. "And there's one more thing."

"…Just how many things happened after that Kage meeting, anyway?!"

"This may or may not be related, but some ninja from my village have been found dead not far from here. The wounds indicate something... very similar to Orochimaru."

She raised a brow. "Orochimaru? He's dead, isn't he?"

Baajiru stopped training and sat down right where he stood, rubbing his arms. Rin glanced over, curious why he quit so suddenly, before she spied his heavy breathing and the pulsing veins in his arms and temples. "Shit, Baajiru!" In a second, she was by his side feeling his forehead. His skin was clammy, and the pulse running through was too fast even for a child his size. "Oh, honey! I told you to stop before you get to chakra burnout! Even though your body can take it, it isn't good to push yourself too hard!"

"I'm s-s-sorry, Okaa-san." The child's voice shook with weakness and pain. "I did-didn't mean to. It's so hard to t-tell when my chakra is low until ever-rything starts to hurt."

She gazed at her son sadly and pulled him against her as he shivered, pulling the messy, blue-and-silver bangs away from where they stuck to his sweating forehead. "You don't have to apologize, dear. I shouldn't have put so much pressure on you to train."

Ginzu felt guilt stab him deep from the pit of his stomach. The project was a success: this child was virtually invulnerable to any jutsu with the effect of draining all life force, or even death by chakra burnout. But the price was experiencing extreme, crippling pain that mimicked circulatory shock (not that the people heading the project cared; he would've simply been slated as a kinjutsu tool). Regardless, the child won't be able to go to school for a few days.

"I'm sorry, Baajiru," he muttered before he realized it.

The boy looked over at him curiously. "...W-why are you apologizing, Ginzu-oj-jisan?"

"I..." Ginzu shook his head irritably, scoffed at himself, and changed the subject. "Stop calling me 'ojisan', will you! It makes me feel _old_."

"But G-Ginzu-ojisan _is_ old."

"Kid, if you weren't in pain right now, I'd—"

"And aren't y-you my uncle? I sh-should call you uncle when you're my uncle, r-right?"

"...Wha?"

Rin blinked at her son. "What made you think that Ginzu is your uncle, Baajiru?"

"He's Okaa-san's b-big brother, right?"

"What? No. He's just my friend. We aren't related."

"Then wh-why did you use to call him O-'Oniisama'?"

They went silent.

Ginzu opened his mouth first. "That's because—"

"—Because Ginzu is such a commanding and compassionate figure," Rin supplied, "a lot of people consider him something like a big brother. Even I consider him my 'aniki'!"

"Really?"

Rin smiled, eyes crinkling upwards. "That's right!"

"Yeah," Ginzu croaked with a thick voice, and he ran the back of his hand across his face, pretending that he wasn't wiping away tears. "Yeah, that's right, Baajiru."

Self-destructive behavior is often a ninja's way of coping with a world that is crueler than they really could handle, despite what their training tells them. Compared to the others—Unmei's opiate addiction following Hanzou's assassination, Kondoru's downward spiral into becoming fighting maniac on ubiquitous pain medication, or Six-Oh-One's recent suicide after Stockholms finally failed—succumbing to Lima Syndrome was rather kind.

* * *

All right! Now, I'm at a bit of an impasse. As it stands, there is at least one more chapter slated for Matsubaran, but the story is actually far from over. I'm coming up to a point that this story will be normal multi-chaptered narrative (and, also, I've pretty much caught up with the manga, so it'll start dividing in terms of storyline soon). I don't know if I should just go ahead and post it through here, or put in one more one-shot chapter on this and start a "sequal".


	11. Humanitarian War

Disclaimer: Chapter one.

The fic will start to divide from the manga now, because I can't stay at Kishi's heels and hope to finish this story the way I want to.  
I know I skipped two weeks. I'm sorry. I couldn't get myself to type anything for you guys, and the manga has just been… yeah, well. However! I _have_ been drawing for you guys. From a combination of preparing for a webcomic later, getting encouraged by others to do it, and "just 'cause", I've been making this fic into a _doujinshi_. Links are on my profile. But the fic itself is taking a turn from now on.  
Butterfly: Actually, Ginzu's genjutsu was a nod towards _Skull Prison_. Oh, and the confusion with "Oniisama" was intentional on my part, because a lording-over figure being called "oni" is powerful imagery, but the name itself is ultimately a reference to "1984".  
Port: I'm glad I've succeeded in making Ginzu sympathetic even while he was responsible for a lot of the pain in previous chapters without (hopefully) granting him too much attention. And you're right about explosive confrontations.  
Krazed: -points- How did—what—but—_You figured out Baajiru!_ I'm glad his personality came out as unique, though. And all these meetings will be sooooo fun to write…  
And you guys have certainly helped in deciding how to continue the story. My readers are awesome. Thanks, you guys.

* * *

An argument erupted during the discussion on how Konoha should prepare for the upcoming ninja war. It seemed like something that would normally be an almost trivial matter considering who was involved, since, due to the current conditions, there should be little contention on it. Indeed, even the elders seemed to agree with the idea and offered no alternative when it was suggested. But suddenly a loud debate began that threatened to take up a lot of valuable time.

The strange thing was… one of the people with their voices raised was Hatake Kakashi. In fact, he _started it_.

Kakashi was definitely _distracted_. Though he had been very glad that Tsunade had recovered and let him effectively dodge becoming Rokudaime Hokage, the relief there was already tempered by knowledge of an upcoming war…_another_ war that he'd have to live and fight through, and it only lasted as long as his discussion with Tsunade before he was about to set off himself to gather a war council. Tsunade stopped him.

"Shizune, you go ahead and do it." Tsunade swallowed the last of some rice and wiped any sticky grains from her mouth with the back of her hand. "I need to talk with Kakashi before the meeting."

Shizune blinked, but she sent off to her duty. Tsunade pushed away the table and slowly pulled herself up from the futon.

"Need help?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes at Kakashi's offer and straightened herself up to standing alone. "_You_ being the Hokage would have been a sight."

"Afraid I would bring down the remainder of the village in flames?"

"No. I know the whole village would probably run more efficiently than ever… _four hours late_. That isn't where the situation would get precarious. Anyway, you seem relieved you didn't get the position."

Kakashi's eye crinkled. "Of course. I've always hated playing leader."

Tsunade made a snort. "I think you have issues with responsibility."

"I do, without a doubt. But why do you think the situation would get precarious?"

She sighed. "To be honest, Kakashi, there is a number of people that would rather you never got close to that kind of military power. Danzou was just one of them."

"The way the jounin council makes it sounds, it seems opposite."

"The jounin council would be sympathetic to you, which provides those that would dislike the situation added stress." She stepped towards Kakashi, motioning for him to follow her out the door. "Tell me, what would have been your first prerogative after you became Hokage?"

"Call council," he answered matter-of-factly as he strode up.

"…Okay, my own fault. Outside of the _upcoming war_, what would you have done first?"

Kakashi held open the door for her. "Rebuilding Konoha, but I have a feeling you're reaching for something else."

"Of course I am!" She strode through and Kakashi soon followed. "Kakashi, you're the only ninja from this village that _returned_ from what happened almost six years ago in Tanima no Kuni. More than a couple ninja would be interested in how your presence in such a high position would change the scheme of the alliances, especially after you got your hands on classified documents."

"Well, those classified documents is the thing…" Kakashi looked over at Tsunade seriously as they walked. "I've already tried to take advantage of Pain's invasion and looked for anything dealing with what happened at Matsubaran-zan when the Hokage residence was destroyed." He shook his head. "No use, though. Even if the documents still exist, they're either unreadable or lost in rubble. I think someone went through and set fire to the area afterwards, to make sure that no sensitive documents could float out and get to the wrong hands."

"…" She looked ahead, then down. "…So you don't know anything?"

"No."

"But you still _want_ to know, right?"

"Without fail, if I _had_ become Hokage, I'd have asked a lot of questions of ANBU, Root, and anyone else involved."

"Some might not have relinquished the information readily."

"In that case, I'd rather not go to Ibiki, but…"

"You'd actually send your own men to Ibiki?!"

"Like I said, I'd rather not, but for this, no hesitation."

She gave a low hum. "Well, there's the issue. What had happened was caused by _somebody_—more than one somebody for that matter—and it's in their best interest that one of the people they had detained doesn't get such a high position. Especially the only one of this major village that returned, since your being so severely outnumbered was what kept the issue so quiet here."

"Well, sure. I was prepared for that; I had thought that I could do some of my own actions and investigations under the guise of doing official duty for the war."

"…See there? You already had thought of a way to obscure your intentions in office. You might hate it, but you're still a natural leader and politician."

"I blame Minato-sensei for teaching me these things. You should've seen the tricks he'd pull just for Kushina-san."

"I've already heard about them and used a couple myself." Tsunade stopped suddenly. "Just a moment. We have some time before the war council convenes."

"That's where we were going? I thought it was far too early for that since Shizune had just gone."

"You _would_ think it's too early, but I believe I'll need to talk to you. About what had happened." She took a few more steps down the freshly made hallway towards a door and scanned her eyes about to make sure there wasn't any way someone could listen in. "I need to tell you about what had happened at Matsubaran-zan."

"…Not that I want to delay it, but I'm sure there could be a better time for this."

"No. You've been blocked from knowing for long enough." She opened the door and closed it again behind them. She took a breath and turned to him. "Not too long ago, I was afraid you would've found out everything we knew from Asuma. He had been investigating, and he finally got to all the files and was going to tell you. I wanted to stop him, but more pressing matters came. I was afraid the information might make you do something drastic."

"?" Kakashi stiffened. "I knew Asuma was looking in about it… so he _did_ know? And… he _was_ going to tell me?"

"It's beyond me why he _didn't_. But I'm serious. During the time Sakura was training with me and Naruto was off with Jiraiya, I had found the files. You were _supposed_ to know earlier. The Sandaime had planned to tell you after the chuunin exam, since by then you would have had a vested interest in seeing over your students. But… I really thought if you learned when I did, you would have left the village."

"!!" His eye widened. "'Left the village'?"

"I don't mean that… you'd defect, or anything like that. I know you too well. I mean that you would leave like I did to… Let me start from the beginning. Kakashi, what is the first thing you want to know about the Incident?"

"…Confirmation that Rin was in the neighboring cell and not in an entirely different wing, that we talked to each other and saw each other." His eye blinked slowly and he took a long breath. "I need to have that confirmed, first. I know… partially…why they lied about that. They wanted me to understand that I can't just talk about what happened as I pleased, because they would contradict me, and they had the 'files' on their side."

Tsunade made a bitter smile. "That's such a simple thing to want to know, even when you _know_ they lied. And you're right; they did. You and she had adjacent cells and you talked with one another. And I know that the two of you married as your last request. But I don't know if the marriage counts in law; legal council would be needed there."

"I don't suppose it matters if it was legal or not," Kakashi said with a shrug. "…I _am_ glad to hear that it really happened."

Suddenly she knew exactly why Asuma backed out in telling Kakashi at the last moment. "…It matters, Kakashi. The marriage."

"Hn? Why?" Kakashi looked confused, but not shocked. "If it's about inheritance, I'm not interested in any of that."

"Kakashi, you should sit down."

"What?"

"I'm serious. Sit down."

"But there's nothing to sit on in here."

Tsunade pointed at some large burlap sacks, densely packed with powdered pigments for making paint. Someone had gathered them to paint this rebuilt building's interior, but what concerned her at the moment was that they were at least big enough to sit on. "There. You don't want to be standing for what I'm going to tell you."

Kakashi looked troubled, but he did as she ordered and sat, loosely crossing his legs and staring up at her. "Well?"

"What happened at Matsubaran-zan was orchestrated by a clandestine alliance between several villages. I don't know too much about the alliance itself; I'm sure you can find out much now that Danzou's dead, and Root had been part of the alliance."

"This much is no surprise."

"But there were several operations going on simultaneously at the Matsubaran-zan complex, and that wasn't their only complex."

"They had more? Come to think of it, that makes sense. One complex is no big deal to sacrifice if they have several."

"I don't know where or how many, but let me continue. The prisoners were all chosen and apprehended for various reasons. In the case of you and Rin, it was a mission the two of you were on in Choukawa. When she treated some sort of illness there during the mission."

"I… vaguely recall them asking about that mission."

"I'm fuzzy on the specifics, but that pegged her as a good subject for one of their operations. They used the two of you for several things, but the primary reason for her was 'Project Momotarou'."

"'Momotarou'?" He squinted a little as he tried to remember if he'd heard that name while he was held captive.

Tsunade didn't wait for him to come up with an answer. "It was a project to make a ninja that is invulnerable to deadly effects. Jutsu that take life directly, jutsu that must be paid by life force, and even chakra exhaustion will be no problem to such a ninja… with the added bonus of longevity to their physical form."

Kakashi's brow furrowed. "That's certainly a lofty goal. So, they wanted to turn Rin into such a ninja? What do—"

"No, they wanted her to birth such a ninja."

That comment had the most astounding effect so far, because Kakashi froze dead as if he was a still frame for several long seconds. When the moment fell away, he crossed his arms and looked to the wall, as if he might find an answer there. Eventually, he spoke again. His voice was still calm. "You'll have to explain to me how they were planning to go about this, because it doesn't make any sense to me so far."

"It's too much to explain at once, and you'd still have more questions than answers."

"Then I respectfully request that you _try_, Hokage-sama."

"What I will tell you that their goal was ultimately succeeded."

"What?"

She shut her eyes and spoke the words firmly, slowly, and without any indecision or doubt in her voice. "Rin gave birth to a boy—your son—about nine months after what happened. They've been living by Takigakure."

Calm though it was, it still hit him with the speed of a direct attack. Kakashi's eye bugged almost comically and his brow twisted. His arms uncrossed, and his jaw bobbed up and down as he tried to work his mouth for several seconds before he could get a hold of himself. When he did, he ran a hand over the masked half of his face and took a deep breath through his nose. "…Could you please repeat that, Hokage-sama?"

"Rin's alive, Kakashi. She's alive and she has been raising your son. He should be five years old by now."

He sucked in air through his teeth as if he was burned and began shaking. To control himself, he leaned forward, hands on his knees. "Are you sure?" His fingers curled into his pants leg. It wasn't working. His voice steadily rose. "Are you positive about this? That she's alive? Is she still a prisoner? Why hasn't she come back? Is her child definitely mine? Who else is with her? Is she alone? What did I see when I thought she was hanged? Why the hell did they _do_ all that to her?! Why her?! Why _us?!_" The last exclamation rang in the room. He immediately shut up and swallowed hard. He wasn't used to getting this upset.

"I'll answer what I can later… when we have more time and you've been able to reflect on it. But… if something _does_ happen to me during this war… then the village will need the next Hokage to be _present and focused_, so I'm telling you _now_. You might've been prepared for details on her death, but who knows what you would have done if you had discovered this upon becoming Hokage. Do you understand me, Kakashi?"

He didn't answer, but Tsunade knew he heard her. She continued, "I want you to see that… even now—_especially_ now—we can't afford you to be gone, whether you're Hokage or not. You're among our most loyal ninja, and I have more than one consideration for your position for this war. You're one of our best, and we're going to _need_ our best. And with Danzou gone, I have to fill ranks up with somebody. So your duty is here _first_."

"I understand," a strange voice croaked from him. It was so thick and strained that it only sounded _somewhat_ like Kakashi's voice.

"I need to go to the meeting now. They'll be expecting me, and it would be good for me to get there a little early anyway. Are… are you going to be all right?"

He nodded and smiled, his eye crinkling up at her. "I'll be fine," said the strange voice, "But I'm going to be a little late to the meeting."

She smiled back. "Of course."

When the Godaime left, she had shut the door behind her for Kakashi's benefit. It couldn't lock, but there was no reason for anyone to come through that hall if everyone was going to the meeting. Kakashi didn't move from his position on the sack of powder and sat in silence, afraid to move. He chanced it when he took a deep breath, then another. With the third breath, he broke down into hysterics. Laughing and sobbing at the same time, he leaned forward and cradled his chest as the sudden outrage over the years of being left in the dark tried to get a foothold, clawing into his ribs. But the rage was getting washed away by the waves of relief, and finished off by the utter, unexplainable joy that followed.

He shoved up his hitai-ate and wiped away the tears that poured from Obito's eye as he tried to catch his breath. A few more weak peals of laughter came from him as he rubbed the streaming, aching Sharingan. "Oh god, she's live. Rin is alive. Even that… even that is too much for me."

He thought over the image of Rin, hanging with a broken neck under the wooden platform. This picture had been burned into Kakashi's mind, a further reason he wouldn't talk about Rin these past few years, because that sight hurt. It tore him apart. But as he reflected on it now, the image seemed blurred and dim. It was as clear as a fresh photograph before. Now it was a drawing in the sand, and the tide was washing it away. A genjutsu. He knew that what Tsunade had just told him was the truth. It was a mass-genjutsu… only the most talented could have pulled off something like that.

Who could have done that? Surely it had to be one of those ninja he'd seen. Someone who knew the human mind well. If they didn't have the help of any bloodline jutsu to do the feat, they most likely used conditions to affect the mind first. The prisoners would be easy to drug. Food was passed out to the audience, and plus they were in a valley; someone who knew the weather well would be able to put a hallucinogenic gas in the breeze without trouble. Of course there would be different resistances… that was why there were conflicting reports in weird areas, such as whether or not he and Rin were chained. That's right; the ninja must have been _counting_ on them to escape. Rin must've actually _made_ it to the woods and was removed from the scene there.

Kakashi only had genjutsu torture every once in a while during those three months. It was very infrequent, but only one man did it, and that man definitely seemed to know the human mind inside and out because he used the conditions to his advantage for the genjutsu.

_Oniisama_.

Why did he do it? Because they needed to keep Rin and her child out of view from the public while they experimented. What better way to remove them than to play her up as dead? If it was known that she was alive and, even more, that she was being used to create a "deathless" ninja, the nations would immediately squabble over the new "weapon" in attempt to apprehend it. Of course, it was only natural that the alliance would proceed to squabble over it, unless they agreed to keep their "weapon" as a tool strictly within the use of the operation.

Kakashi returned the hitai-ate where it belonged and sniffed. "Weapon" and "tool" were not the ways he should think of this child. This was his flesh and blood; Tsunade-sama wouldn't have told him such a thing if she weren't sure. Once in Kakashi's youth, he thought of _himself_ in such a way. He was a ninja, and thus a tool of Konohakagure, and he had accepted that for himself without difficulty. But logically, he had to apply this to his comrades, and that wasn't so easy. That's why he hesitated in answering Obito, that's why Obito punched him, and that's why Kakashi was so easy to shake out of his convictions.

Rin as a tool… that's what she was for three months to those people. For _more_ than three months perhaps… how long _did_ they keep her? It seemed to Kakashi that she had to have been free by now if Tsunade-sama say "They've been living by Takigakure" rather than "They're being held captive in Takigakure". And if she had settled there, then she's not being pursued, so either the operation was dead, or Rin convinced them that she and her child was dead and escaped, and the former was definitely not the case here. If she escaped while they transported her to a new complex, it's possible she escaped alone, but she was weakened and had to deal with several well-ranked ninja at peak performance. If it were later, she almost certainly would have had help from someone. But who? Another captive? Did someone infiltrate the operation? Whoever it was, Kakashi owed this person more than he could pay.

But Rin stayed hidden from him all this time. Did she not trust him? No, she most likely didn't trust the people _around_ him. If she sent a message to Kakashi directly, it would be suspicious since Kakashi doesn't get a lot of personal mail or anything of that sort. Coming physically was impossible. She might be able to send messages to others… she most likely did… but that wouldn't mean those messages would get through to Kakashi.

But, still, she was alive. Alive! Alive and she has a son. _His_ son.

Heart thumping like he'd run from Wave Country to Konoha, Kakashi figured it was time to show up at the council like he should. His own loud heartbeat kept him from listening to everything as keenly as he'd like. Several times he had to refocus himself as Koharu's voice melded into a meaningless drone.

And during the meeting, he discovered what the Hokage meant earlier by "fill the ranks", a comment that he had all but ignored with the shock of his comrade (his wife?) overbearing the conversation.

"…will be assigned to lead as head of ANBU and the subsidiary branch Root, since Shimura Danzou has unfortunately died in battle without leaving instructions to be performed upon his demise."

_Oh no. Oh hell no. That bitch! _Kakashi glared while string after string of insults and curses flooded his mind and a wave of anger rose up his back and down his scalp. Before he could stop himself, he stood up. "Hokage-sama!"

The discussion stopped and heads turned.

"I respectfully decline the position! An older, wiser ninja would be more suited for it; I should be in battle, on the front lines."

Tsunade didn't look perturbed. "You mean you want to have mobility from the village, which the position would hinder."

"Do I not get a say in the positions that are thrust onto me? I was almost the next Hokage. I've been made into a team captain more times than I could count, both in and out of ANBU. But surely there are others just as good for it. Koharu-sama or Homura-sama. Or someone still in ANBU, since I haven't been in their ranks for almost six years."

"Yes, six years ago you quit… after you returned from Matsubaran-zan!"

There was a gasp, and suddenly there was a lot of murmuring among the ninja.

Kakashi had to make fists against his angry shaking. "Are you trying to turn this position into a political movement towards the alliance? We don't have time for these kinds of politics when there's a war to prepare for!"

"This is the perfect time! At this moment, giving you such a position, when your image is in good condition with the other four major ninja nations compared to the former Hokage-elect Danzou, who had _embarrassed_ us at the summit."

"There are other nations outside of the five!"

"And they'll be involved in this war as well! I sincerely doubt they'll side with the Akatsuki!"

"That is _not_ what I'm talking about!"

"You're talking about the shadow alliance between villages that lead up to the Matsubaran Incident. Well, what better time to throw the light on them!"

The muttering stopped for several seconds, and then started again with new energy. Kakashi hunched his shoulders up and looked as though he'd slam a fist down on the small desk in front of him.

Homura took a chance of speaking next, "Kakashi-san, we have much to discuss this meeting and we readily agree to your position. Though you may not like it, this may be the best way of confronting these issues before they get out of hand later. You _must_ agree to this position."

Tsunade looked down with a scowl, but then she breathed a sigh and smiled at herself. "Kakashi, this position is far less restrictive to your movements than being Hokage would require. You could even put yourself in an ANBU mask and do work as you will… as long as you give _me_ forewarning. But there must be a good reason _for the war_ for you to move directly. Do you understand?"

Kakashi didn't seem well satisfied with that addition, but he knew how to choose his battles. He shut his eye and sat back down. "I'll begin my duty immediately after this conference." He bit into his mask and leaned forward with a fist on his knee. "I apologize for taking time away from the meeting. Please proceed to the next point of discussion, Hokage-sama."

* * *

Did I jump the shark? Anyway, Kishi himself almost blocked Kakashi this time by making him _not_ Hokage. Kakashi gets cockblocked _all the time_ in the manga _for various things_, so I _had_ to cut him a little bit of a break.  
…To be followed by my blocking him again, anyway. Whoops.


	12. Underneath the Underneath

Disclaimer: Go to chapter 2 for further instructions.

Oh mai gawd why is ur updates coming in soooooo slow Piccy ur liek the fastestest person evars usuly.  
^That's what part of my brain is saying to the rest of my brain. It's not the smart-making part, obviously, but it makes a good point.  
Butterfly: I was, too, but it kind of figures that Kakashi isn't Hokage. If it was meant to happen, Tsunade would probably have been dead instead. Still, that means he's going to be more likely to be fighting. I doubt anyone necessarily got the 1984 winks, so don't feel too bad. And Baajiru _is_ scary… oooh boy the things he does to this story later.  
Krazed: Luckily for us, Kakashi probably spends a lot of his time as a ninja finding loopholes out of casual paperwork and meetings, so he's got experience in it. And I'm glad the chapter came out interesting, even though that certainly isn't the first time someone's written Kakashi getting told by Tsunade that Rin is alive.

* * *

"Um… Is everything all right, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi looked down at his student. "Hn? Why?"

_Shouldn't it be obvious?_ she thought. Even now, though he spoke in the same manner as he always did, his arms were tightly crossed against his chest, his eye was narrowed, and even his posture was more rigid than usual. Ever since he was given this position, at any point, he looked undeniably _annoyed_. And the news of his upset during the war council didn't stay quiet; it quickly became gossip, even among her age group, as Shikamaru was there to witness the whole thing.

But she decided that talking to her sensei like his annoyance was the most obvious thing in the world wasn't a good idea. _Who knows how _he'd _react?_ "You just seem anxious lately."

"Anxious?" Kakashi repeated half-heartedly, obviously not really paying attention to the conversation.

"You aren't acting like yourself, I mean."

"Hn," was the only retort he offered before he put his attention elsewhere, which, honestly, was the best retort he could have given to prove a contrary opinion on the matter. Sakura had to hold back her anger that tempted to blow at her sensei and merely sighed in exasperation.

At this time, Kakashi's position was chosen as the perfect one to convene with the other four great nations to gather intelligence on the Akatsuki. A few might even agree that he would be most suited for this compared to the Hokage position he'd just recently dodged. Even so, he didn't seem too fond of the position outside of his general wish to shrug off the responsibility of commanding others.

"Do you really think Kakashi-san's behavior is odd, Sakura?" Sai looked on with interest. "I don't see a difference."

"You just don't know him as well," she barked back, though it did pass her mind that Sai's lesser socialization might've had something to do with it. "But he _is_ acting weird."

"Really? How can you tell?"

Kakashi sighed and looked back at the two of them. "We can discuss my 'odd behavior' later. This _is_ a serious meeting we're going to, after all."

"That he should respond _at all_ is a good enough indicator that Kakashi-senpai is acting strangely," a woman's voice interrupted, "Though I do have to admit that he's changed a little since he quit ANBU."

A purple-haired ANBU ninja leaned against the wall ahead in the hall, face not visible for her mask, but if it had been, it'd most assuredly have a smug grin threatening to split it. She dropped her crossed arms and stood fully before them.

Kakashi merely shrugged at her and didn't slow his pace. "I see you've gotten to the meeting before us."

"Ah, changing the subject, now?" She fell in step with them immediately.

"Not so much. I really was rather hoping you'd be late."

"I _was_ late, by about an hour, but that's of course nothing compared to _you_. I remember you always being late, but honestly?"

"What's the use of being on time? I figured out myself that nothing changes being a little late when I was younger, and I don't see the difference between one hour or four as long as the work gets done before you leave."

"Yeah, yeah. Why did you want _me_ to be late, though? I know it's not so _you_ won't feel bad."

"Because you won't enjoy it. In fact, I know that if you didn't have any self-restraint, you'd do your best to _ruin_ it. It would be best if you missed the whole thing."

"What?" she tensed, "Then why even call me here if you just wanted me to miss everything?"

"Because _this_ isn't your mission; I just used the excuse of the meeting to get you all out here. I have something else planned for you."

"Eh? What is it, then?"

"I'll explain later… just _please_ try to keep your emotions in check during the meeting."

The female ANBU didn't get a chance to ask another question, nor did Sai or Sakura get their chances at asking for more clarity on this situation, because Kakashi had already strode up to the doors and pushed them aside.

"You're late, Hatake Kakashi," the representative from Kiri groused, glaring at Kakashi with his mirroring single eye. "Just when did you think this meeting was going to start, eh?"

"The Copy-nin is pretty well known for being late," the Iwa representative offered before Kakashi had the chance to apologize for himself with a lame excuse. She leaned back in her chair, smirking. "You have no one to blame but yourself for coming early."

"I didn't mean to be an inconvenience..." Kakashi offered out of obligation.

The other representatives didn't seem to be bothered one way or the other, but eventually Suna's representative spoke up. "This will only draw things out by complaining about it. Kakashi has already apologized." He looked over the room with his own single eye (Sakura noted to herself that she was in a room of cyclopes). "Let's get to work, shall we?"

The ANBU stiffened.

"I agree," the Kumo-nin responded in a cold voice, her own arms loosely crossed, "No more wasted time."

"Right." Kakashi moved to sit, but found his arm had been grabbed. He sighed and looked at the masked woman.

"Kakashi-senpai!" the ANBU hissed in urgent tones, "That man...he's...!"

He only nodded. "And now you see why I wanted you to miss the meeting."

"_I will not work with him! I will not work with the man who killed Hayate!_"

"That's fine, because _I'm_ going to be working with him."

"Kakashi-senpai! You can't! What he's done... during an alliance... it's..."

"Yuugao, are you going to tell me that you or I have never betrayed an alliance by killing someone?"

"This is different!"

"Is it? We were all in the war. And as it stands, Baki is the best person from Suna for me to work with. We have a common ground."

"I can hardly see how."

"Need I remind you that we're in an alliance and preparing for _another_ war? If you can't keep hold of yourself, then _get out_. I don't need you in here."

She stifled a gasp and stood silent for several seconds, because she had rarely heard that tone of voice from him before, and she honestly never imagined she would hear it again. But she didn't think on it long because she knew he was right; it was childish for her to react like this. The female ANBU resolutely swallowed her bitter resentment. "...I understand, Kakashi-senpai."

It seemed that the others were largely uninterested in their short, private exchange except for the subject himself, who looked on thoughtfully, his visible eyebrow cocked. As Kakashi sat, smiling at him, he returned with a chuckle as of that which only those who have shared a long, hard battle might give.

"You've been doing well these past couple of years, I see."

"It only gets better over time," Kakashi chirped in a cheerful tone, so unlike the attitude he'd had the entire day to this point. "You know what I mean?"

Baki nodded, a bit of a smile still playing his lips. "We've already started some of the discussion without you. I'll bring you up to speed before we continue. Unless you have anything to add, I'd suggest that we discuss getting more alliances from the other countries."

"I hope I don't have too much to add, then, because that's the discussion I'm more interested in. I had a couple suggestions."

"Suggestions?" The Iwa-nin popped in with ease from the conversation she was having with the other two ninja at the table. "Then I'm more interested in those. We can catch you up quick later since it's not exactly related."

"I was going to suggest strong-arming some particular alliances we already have at our disposal to force the countries to comply more quickly. I don't think we can spare the time that might allow one of the other villages to fall and be taken over by Madara and the Akatsuki, as Amegakure had."

Though her brows didn't quirk, the ninja from Kumogakure cocked her head towards Kakashi. "The alliances? It _is_ true that each village has their own alliances outside of this agreement between the main five. But of course it would only be natural for the diplomats to go by that direction."

"When we include all the agreements and alliances _sub rosa_, it turns into a layered spiderweb," Kakashi answered quickly, "And these sorts of connections would _have_ to be strong-armed to be played, but they're a great deal more intimate and effective for these purposes. Each village has their own, and there are a few that span nearly the entirety of the continent. Including the _Dajare_."

Though his tone was natural, the reaction was instant for all but the person he was answering, who remained impassive. The Iwa-nin's cool, on the other hand, fell instantly and she gaped at Kakashi. "What did you say?"

Baki kept his low laugh to himself, though his shoulders still waggled with the contained amusement. The ninja from Kirigakure had a flash of newfound respect come to his face as he tried to keep his own grin from cutting into his face.

"What are you suggesting, Hatake?" The Iwa-nin rose from her seat and answered slowly, trying not to spit out her offense. "Are you accusing our nations of something?"

"Nothing more than my own nation is responsible for. The very position I inherited was the negotiator representing Konoha for the Dajare, which is something even the Hokage had limited knowledge of. Luckily, Danzou didn't design for his secrets to die with him if the Root under his command would henceforth be allowed to speak freely _after_ his death, so I've spent a good deal of the past few days absorbing all this information. Of course, this isn't the only subject I learned about but..." Kakashi folded his hands and smiled at her even as she glared at him. "...it is a subject that I have a profound interest in understanding."

"Although I admit a bias, I concur with Kakashi-san's reasoning," Baki toned in amusement, "And it's an area I can work in; there've been more than a couple agreements I had been involved in or even the direct cause of since I've gotten involved with the council of Sunagakure. I have no problem with laying a little pressure on them."

"There is the problem that alliances such as the Dajare don't technically exist in record," the Kumo-nin called in again, "And they don't exist for a reason. A lot of political trouble can happen, which can not only alienate our potential allies, but put pressure on our own sides when things are revealed."

The man from Kiri rose his hand, the smirk finally winning out to come out as a crooked grin. "This alliance wouldn't be any different if every Daimyo of the five countries didn't agree to it, and we have tools at our disposal to keep them from backfiring on us. Further taking the Dajare as an example, Suna and Konoha already have two prime examples right here, both survivors of the Matsubaran Incident, which, _yes_, was caused by the Dajare."

The Rock ninja frowned, but resolved to fall back in her seat. She seemed already finished with this conversation. Ao didn't care and continued, "Kiri has more than a couple things they can do about it, including having the still surviving Joubin at our disposal. He has not been in active duty for quite some time, but it takes very little nudging to get him into politics, and he's a force to contend with there. Every village has their own survivors. I doubt they'll mind being put to use for this purpose."

"For the parts of those who we are attempting to force into joining through these struggles, I have a suggestion," the Cloud ninja came in again, "I propose we allow them to keep things confidential. No exposed names, or threatening of exposing names especially."

"More than reasonable." Kakashi smiled. "What say you, Kurotsuchi?"

"Fine. I have to admit it's a good idea. I just didn't like your tone."

.-.-.-.

The team Kakashi had brought hadn't been the only one passively watching in the room as the banter lengthened. Most of the uninvolved party seemed as bored as the last, and Sakura had come to the conclusion that war was more talk at a table than fight on a battlefield, something she was likely told by a sensei in the academy but had been drowned out with the numerous glories and horrors that the previous wars had given to the generation before her to tell over and over.

Why was she even there in the first place? Kakashi said to their surprise companion that they were there for a different mission. Then why the pretense of needing to be present as these five ninja delegated how this new intelligence base would be set up amongst themselves? Were the other teams here on similar pretenses? She scanned over them a couple times, and concluded that maybe that wasn't the case; there was one that notated everything said, only chancing glances up as the leaders talked. There were more than a couple that looked like good bodyguard material. One Iwagakure ninja had particularly sharp, thoughtful eyes that seemed to notice and absorb everything in the room as if he was sizing everything up.

So what was Sakura doing here? She might be both the student of Kakashi and of the Hokage, but that didn't mean she had any _real _credentials to belong at this meeting. Did Sai? Hard to say, but she doubted it; he seemed more suited to action rather than diplomacy. And obviously any credentials the ANBU woman had didn't matter if Kakashi didn't want her to appear until _after_ the meeting.

Did Kakashi not believe he needed someone who could keep good track of the forward discussion? Or a bodyguard? She remarked him saying, before they left, that he wished Yamato and Naruto weren't in Kaminari no Kuni, because he could really use them in "this mission". Though he conceded that this was the best course of action (which Sakura actually _didn't_ agree with) since the alliance was important and Naruto's experience with the hachibi might prove to be fruitful, he didn't make any further hint on the mission. So that was a mystery in itself. Just what was the mission Kakashi needed them for? With the way her sensei tended to behave, she wouldn't put it past him to never even explain that much.

A structure of a centralized intelligence agency had been completely mapped out by the end of the meeting, despite Kakashi's lateness. The five nations were already plotted, and there was enough simple standardization among them that plugging in the other villages as they were brought into the alliance would be a piece of cake. There had been times that those accompanying had offered suggestions, but it was mostly brainstorming between the main five throughout. They dispersed afterwards, each with their own set of duties to perform. Kakashi left to an office prepared for him, scratching his head and yawning while his bleary-eyed escort followed.

When he sat down at his desk, looking more at home than he wanted to behind it and blinking furiously, he pulled papers before him. "Luckily, I don't have much to do. The ANBU I want involved are all ready on their way over here. I just need to write some things and then I can sleep until late in the afternoon."

"What about us, Kakashi-senpai?"

Kakashi looked up at the ANBU with a glossy eye. "Your mission. Normally, I'd let it wait until tomorrow so the three of you could rest, but the sooner you get out of here, the better. I'll be going to bed soon, and the rest of the ANBU will get here likely before I wake up. I don't need any bodyguards where I sleep; my being killed in a bed would say more about our allies than us." He pulled out a scroll from one of his pockets and handed it to the ANBU. "The mission is simple enough. I need you to deliver this to Iwagakure. Normal protocol… I'm sure I don't have to repeat everything. Sakura, since you're not in ANBU, you may decline this mission. I cannot technically order you to do anything in this situation."

Sakura tried not to yawn out her response. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'd be glad to help out however I can."

"Good," he looked towards the ANBU woman, "And Yuugao, you don't need to wear your mask or use your codename if you wish, though I'd suggest keeping it when in contact with anyone outside of your team if you don't have a change of clothes out of your uniform."

She took off her mask and smiled. "Very well, Kakashi-senpai. Thank you."

He nodded, the nod going to couple seconds longer than necessary to show how tired and absent-minded he was at the moment as he tried to remember what he had to say next. "You'll need a fourth member to be a team, but I can't spare it for something like this, so I'll just provide you with some help instead…" He rose and walked to the side of his desk. With some blood and seals, Kakashi slapped his hand on the ground, and two dogs appeared. They looked as tired as the three ninja behind them. Obviously Kakashi had woken them.

"Pakkun, Shiba, can I trust the two of you on a mission without me? It'll last you a few days."

"Sure," the gruff pug responded, "But why do you want us to do it if you're not coming?"

"Let's say it makes me feel better knowing you're there with them."

The larger dog beside him whined a yawn and wiped a paw over its face and muzzle to rid himself of sleep. "Did you really have to call us in the middle of the night?"

"You've been acting strange lately, Kakashi," Pakkun grunted.

"So everyone tells me. I won't keep you any longer. You've been given your mission. If you already have everything you need, I suggest you set off immediately."

Yuugao blinked. "What? But Kakashi-senpai, you didn't—"

"Oh, and one more thing. As always, don't read the scroll. If you must read it, at least make sure you're at least one mile away from the closest outpost, got me?"

Sakura smiled at her sensei's ridiculous notion. "Of course we won't—"

"Understood, Kakashi-senpai," Yuugao cut in before Sakura could finish, and she bowed. "I'll be sure to perform the instructions you've given exactly."

"Of course. Just see that you're quick, since we'll need all of you in the war. But stay safe, and…" He smiled at them. "_…Good luck_."


	13. Searching the Horizon

Disclaimer: Check chapter 4 for further instructions.

I'm not drawing as fast as I should. I'm only on page 12 of the doujinshi!

Butterfly: You are correct! Oddly, though, I've felt that making Kakashi's lateness so famous might've been a bit of a cop-out on my part, but it is amusing to think that of all qualities he has to gain notoriety…

_

* * *

MORON! _was the word that Sakura screamed in her head as she woke up, and it was directed to herself.

The night (early morning) before, her captain for this mission started immediately on route towards Iwagakure. They had traveled a few hours until Yuugao was sure that they were over a mile away from the nearest outpost. Pace slowed to a stop near a clearing of trees, where she made a short search, then asked the dogs if they smelled anyone around, or anything suspicious whatsoever.

Shiba shook his head sleepily. Pakkun barked out directly, "No, nothing Yuugao."

"Good. Then lets stop here for the night. I'll go ahead and take first watch since the message is probably in code. It might take me a little while to read it." She opened the scroll.

"Eh? Y-Yuugao-taichou?" Sakura called hesitantly, as referring to this new woman as her superior felt strange on her tongue, "Kakashi-sensei said that we shouldn't read the scroll…"

It was hard to say if Yuugao didn't respond to Sakura's statement because she honestly didn't hear her, or if she ignored it for Sakura's state, but either way Sakura was grateful for it later. Yuugao continued to scan her eyes, squinting at the text. The impassive, tired face she had turned into a disappointed frown, and eventually into an angry scowl before she shoved the scroll closed, arms trembling as if she had to hold back the urge to crumple it up or tear it to pieces. "That idiot! I swear he's trying to test me! Writing junk like that! I ought to march right back there, fold this until it's all sharp corners, and… Gah!" She shoved it back into her pack and threw herself down, using that same pack as a pillow. "Nevermind what I had just ordered. Sai, could you take care of first watch please?"

Sai didn't seem to have any problem with it, so Sakura went to sleep, confused and tired and only wanting to sleep…

It occurred to her the next morning. A night's sleep of sharing warmth with the two ninken, who had curled up between her and Sai to stave off the chill of the night and morning, had made her mind much more coherent. Kakashi had _meant_ for them to read the scroll, and merely didn't want anyone to know about his purposes. That was why they were pulled from Konoha to accompany him. Come to think of it, Kakashi's details on the mission had been terribly thin. Yuugao picked up on it since she had much more experience, both as a ninja and as a subordinate to Kakashi. Sai didn't question it either way, since before he was told things straight up that conflict _frequently_ and had to _not_ question it.

It was achingly obvious to her now that their real mission was in that scroll. Yuugao had eventually been roused, and Sakura asked about it. This time, she did earn a glare and shut up, but Yuugao didn't explain immediately. Instead she looked to the dogs again. "Is the area still clear of others?"

Pakkun was still asleep, so Shiba answered. "No. Three guys! Three of them to the South. They smell like farmers but one has a sooty smell to them that smells like a smoke bomb."

"How far?"

"Hard to say. Five hundred meters? Four?"

"And how does North seem?"

"Pretty clear. Lots of rabbits, though."

"Good, we can keep going in that direction a bit. Tell me if you smell anything approaching."

"Roger!" He nudged Pakkun awake with his muzzle and the group prepared to set off again.

Yuugao changed their trajectory farther from the thick forests and more towards cavernous and rocky land near mountains. Eventually, she spied a cave to her liking and asked the dogs to sniff up the area. When they reported it to be clear, she made herself comfortable and ordered Sai and Shiba to keep guard as she deciphered the scroll.

Sakura looked over her shoulder. "That is… It looks like a really bad poem."

Yuugao nodded. "It's got a proper name but everyone calls it 'junk'. It's a multi-layered code where part of its decryption includes measuring up the mistakes in syllable use, stanza length, word choice and emphasis, unfortunate metaphors… et cetera, et cetera. It's a cumbersome, not air-tight since it can still be cracked by enemies—albeit it'd take them forever and it'd still be a long time to decode—and figuring it out is a lot like translating from a dead language you don't have a dictionary for. It's mostly for wasting an enemy's time and resources, and the Yondaime _loved_ it, so of course Kakashi knows it like a second language. I always hated it when he wrote information between us in this."

"How long do you think it'll take you?"

"I don't know. It's been a while, and I rarely was the one to have to decode it, so… a couple hours? If Sai and Shiba wants to switch out with you and Pakkun, let them; Sai had a long watch last night and deserves a rest if he needs it."

"Do you need any help?"

"Not unless he taught this code to you…"

Thirty minutes later, after she seemed to have been making progress, Yuugao started taking on a confused face. She backtracked to see if she was doing the code correctly—which she was—then mulled over the bit that she had gotten confused on, because it didn't make any sense to her. Eventually she seemed to have given up on that, proceeding further down the scroll to figure out what the statement was out of context, and, apparently, discovered that she had translated it _correctly_.

She put the scroll down and backed herself against the cave wall with wide eyes that looked up at the ceiling.

"Yuugao-taichou?" Sai had asked, now the one in the cave as Sakura watched. He insisted that he wasn't tired, but Sakura pushed him into the cave and took his place without his consent, saying that he should at least _relax_ (Just what does that mean?). "Is everything all right? Did you discover what our mission is?"

"Erh… essentially. But we might have to report back to Konoha instead."

"Really?"

"Yes, because I think Kakashi-senpai has finally _cracked_, and we need to inform the Hokage to retire him if that's the case."

Sai looked troubled as he figured out the idiom. "Cracked? Retire? Are you saying Kakashi-san has gone insane?"

"Well, he gives orders to find someone who is dead and a kid that doesn't exist… what else am I supposed to think?!" Yuugao shook her head and gestured towards the scroll. "I think what happened to him in Matsubaran-zan must have finally caught up with him."

This only made him look more troubled. "…Exactly what is our mission, Yuugao-taichou?"

"You've heard of Yagami Rin, haven't you? She was a student of the Yondaime Hokage, and she died in the Matsubaran Incident. Except… not according to _that_."

"I'm sorry?"

"That's what I mean. Kakashi-senpai… he believes that Rin's death was an elaborate genjutsu." Shook her head.

"So she's alive then," Sai didn't seem perturbed. "Then our mission is to find her?"

By now, Sakura and Shiba had already heard more than a little of their captain's outbursts, and everyone present was listening in intently.

"I haven't gotten that far, and normally I would think that he would _have_ to have… But Kakashi-senpai has been acting so strangely. Maybe he's just recently found this out, or maybe the stress of everything that's been happening finally made him break." She leaned her head back against the cave wall. "I admit that I don't know what to do. This is very overwhelming… Rin and I were together in ANBU, after all. The last time I saw her was when she was taken along with Kakashi to be held in Matsubaran-zan. If she is still alive… and with a kid… that is a lot to take. If, instead, Kakashi-senpai needs to be taken out of service five years after what had happened, then that's going to be a blow to the village. He's needed." She sighed and picked up the paper again. "Maybe he'll explain further down…"

Another hour had passed. Sai had successfully dozed off, Yuugao had finished the scroll, and Sakura was biting her lip in anticipation to the point she would have been distracted from her duties if the dogs weren't present. Not that the ninken weren't also curious: this was the well-being of their master, after all, and they hoped upon hope that he was in good health, that the scroll was true.

"I've come to a conclusion," Yuugao said carefully. Sai's eyes popped open and Sakura turned her attention inside. "Kakashi-senpai _doesn't_ seem like he's lost it, and he said he has come across enough evidence to be sure. He assigned us because…well… out of all those he can order to do missions with his position, we're the ones he _trusts_ the most. Plus, I knew Rin, and the dogs almost certainly remember her scent. However…" She frowned and shook her head. "He admits that it is very personal, and wants it to be done quickly so the village doesn't spare us long. But it needs to be done, I think. Rin would be better to have in our forces in the war; she was an experienced field medic and thus indispensable. Nevermind that son…"

"So she had a kid after she was supposed to die?" Sakura said from the mouth of the cave, not even pretending to be watching anymore. "Did she get married? Is Kakashi concerned about the father's interference? Her husband might not like her and their child being—"

"Oh god, that's the craziest part. I'm sorry, Sakura, Sai, I should have started with this. _This_ is the really insane thing. The father… he said it's _himself_. Kakashi is the father. He…" The looks of shock made her stop the explanation. "Yeah."

The dogs both whined, and then barked and yipped excitedly at each other, keeping her from continuing the explanation. They wouldn't calm down, wouldn't stay still, and were running about in circles with each other, and showed absolutely no sign of settling down until they sat, pointed their noses to the sky, and howled.

When Yuugao tried to make them stop, they wouldn't listen, so she tried to grab them by their scruffs. Pakkun barked angrily at her, and Shiba actually nipped at her hand. She recoiled, suddenly reminded of Kakashi's curt temper lately.

.-.-.

Kakashi never made it to his bed. When the ANBU came as ordered, the majority of them knew Kakashi well enough to not go immediately to his office, instead hanging back until they received orders. A few went to where he was sleeping—given orders by the Hokage to make Kakashi get to work immediately, no delays—but found that his bedroll hadn't even been touched.

This would have caused an upset if a younger, more naïve ANBU hadn't gone immediately to Kakashi's new office and found him slumped over his desk.

He was face-first in the last bit of paperwork he had attempted to finish the night before, sleeping so soundly that when the worried young ANBU tried to rouse him, he merely grunted something that sounded like disapproval and curled his arms up to act as a pillow and light-barrier as he laid his head back down on the desk. It would have been, at the least, rude for him to forcefully wake him up, so the ANBU had to wait on standstill for a while.

When Kakashi did finally wake up an hour later, he had a painful crick in his lower back, his neck didn't want to move to the right, and his shoulders were beyond sore. How unfortunate; he didn't get his work done _and_ he didn't get a good night's sleep. He had to spend his lunch finishing up, so he missed the meal with the others.

"Kakashi."

"Hn?" He stopped his trajectory to the nearest storage of food and looked flatly at Baki. "Oh, good afternoon. You already finished working out your branch of this organization we're so dutifully working on?"

He nodded with a grimace. "I think if every citizen were drafted to do the paperwork that's required for it, there wouldn't be any more wars."

"That wouldn't work. There'll always be the one nut that'll do paperwork for the glory."

"Oh, don't remind me. I never liked bureaucrats for that reason. By the way, I see your 'ANBU' running around, but I don't see the three you'd brought to the meeting at all yesterday. You have them on separate errands off-site?"

"You could say that." Kakashi shrugged. "There are duties that I have to work with outside. I brought them to the meeting because I needed to have them out immediately."

"Is their mission at all involved with the meeting?"

"More than I should admit. Did you have lunch?"

"Yeah, and now I have work to do. This was just the first time I've seen you out in the halls so I stopped by to tell you that I've already put a little bit of pressure towards Takigakure."

"Takigakure?"

He nodded. "Since they're Konoha's allies normally, I thought you might want to add some more legal pressures on your side. After all, it was the Leaf ninja that found the Waterfall ninja bodies."

"I'll do that."

Kakashi ate quickly and, instead of spending the rest of his evening handing out orders to the ANBU, he delegated the duties of tightening everything up to some of the ANBU and Root captains, then set off to train, which, he kept feeling, he was greatly in need of. If he was going to keep himself caught up with his students, he couldn't afford to be as lazy as he prefers to be.

There weren't exactly any training grounds, but there are a million ways to train if you're creative, and besides, he generally preferred to train alone anymore. He decided that it had been a while since he'd been climbing. The building that was made for the alliance wasn't tall enough, he decided immediately, but there was luckily a cliff-face not far off, with tall trees even standing at the summit.

It took him a little longer than it should've to climb it with his right hand tied behind his back, but it was the long break he took at the top of the tallest tree, looking to the horizon North-Northwest, before he climbed back down and started all over again with the other hand.

.-.-.

"Any accelerants you can smell?"

"Not over here," Shiba barked.

Pakkun sneezed the soot and shook his head vigorously. "I'm fairly certain this is from a fire jutsu."

Uzuki Yuugao tossed away a bit of burned wood from what had once been a coffee table. "I've come to the same conclusion. There looks to be several points of origin, and none of them are anywhere that should be prone to spontaneous fires, but seem like they started out strong. Whoever did this was a ninja… and they _didn't_ care if anyone investigated the arson."

Sai peaked out from a ruined doorway. "No sign of them here, either, but this looks like the child's room. The smoldering suggests to me that this happened just last night."

"Any clothes taken?"

Sai shook his head.

"Yuugao-taichou!" Sakura hopped out from behind some blackened beams of wood. "I looked all around! There are a few weapons and medical supplies, but they look like backups. There aren't any packs!"

"Did you check around Rin's bedroom?"

She nodded. "First place I looked. It looks like the dresser had been pulled open and a few clothes strewn about, but it's hard to tell since so much of it is burned."

"That gives us a little hope. Maybe they escaped." She grimaced. "But we can't assume that. Rin and her kid might've died and their bodies have been taken. Or maybe whoever did this used the fire to literally smoke them out and capture them as they exited."

Sakura's face turned worried. "So what will we do? Go back to Kakashi-sensei to report?"

Yuugao went silent and thought about it. They made it to the countryside nearby Taki, and the dogs immediately picked up a weird scent. _It smells like Kakashi!_ one would proclaim, _No it smells like Rin!_, the other argued, _But Rin never smelled like greasepaint, _the first continued, _And neither did Kakashi! _was the obvious retort. They lead it to another scent that definitely smelled like Rin, and Yuugao no longer doubted her senpai's words and let herself feel some hope herself. The team had happily continued on the rest of the trip, thinking their mission was almost finished, until they saw smoke in the sky and the dogs starting barking and running, leading them to a ruined shell that had once been a house. The first thing they did was look in the charred skeleton for any bodies, calling if anyone was alive and conscious. What had seemed like an easy success had turned into a foreboding continued mystery.

"… I don't think so. Our mission is to bring back Rin and her kid, so that's what we'll do. We're either going to get _her_, or we get her _corpse_. I'll just send a coded message back to update him."

"Understood," both Sai and Sakura answered.

"It's hard to catch their path from here, Yuugao," Pakkun said, solemnly, "Both of their scents are everywhere around this area since they obviously lived here. I do smell a couple other scents, but I can't pick out the scent of someone who hasn't been here frequently because of the fire. There's no telling who started it, or why."

"It seems," Sai cut in, "That we have nothing to investigate on, Yuugao-taichou. How are we going to find them? We don't know this country well enough to do a sweep, and Kakashi-san expects us back quickly."

Sakura interfered next. "But we can't let this go! Kakashi-sensei would just worry if we went back empty handed! We need to keep going and finish our mission!"

"I'm afraid you're both right," Yuugao said with a grimace. Just looking around in all directions was exactly how to _not_ find someone, and if they returned with this information, Kakashi might actually do something stupid and go out himself to look. She picked up her pack and shouldered it again, then hopped over pieces of charcoal and out of the dead building. "Which is why we're going to Takigakure for help."


	14. Grapple

Disclaimer: Check chapter 10.

Woo! Haven't updated the pages _at all! _I'll probably focus on them this next week. (I know that this update is a day late.)  
Butterfly: Yeah. Yuugao's luck with this mission really hasn't been that great so far. Whoo boy.  
Krazed: Kakashi seems like he'd be a good diplomat; being the Yondaime's student probably gave him some unfortunate talents. And the dogs will be _so_ fun.  
Duchess: I was slightly confused when I saw the review count increased by ten, but I certainly do appreciate it! Reading lots of reviews is fun! I also appreciate that you pointed out the ho/mizukage error in chapter 3 (I miss errors all the time). Thank you for all the encouragement!

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It _was_ the house that his mother built, and it had been there for as long as he could remember. Of course, he heard stories of when Rin had to float between places, either pregnant or with a baby swaddled to her back, but Baajiru obviously doesn't remember these times, and when you're five, there's not quite yet such thing as a time _before_ you were born. So they lived in that house forever as far as he was concerned. It didn't quite yet hit him that there was a time it did not exist once until he had to come to terms with the fact that it no longer existed.

Baajiru does vaguely remember when the house was smaller and less finished. It was Rin's ongoing project… something for her to do between mercenary jobs that paid well enough to give her more leisure time than she wanted, even with a child to raise. The notion she could make her own house came from a teammate she had in the past who had a keen interest in architecture. She over time gathered up the same books he often seemed to read and recommend on the subject, buying up lumber and nails and tools, slowly building up over five years from a sturdy if not humble shack to a respectable sprawl of comfortable rooms, medical chambers, and training areas. She was always fixing or adding or updating something.

When the fire happened, Baajiru had been roused from his dreams by an obtrusive splash of cold water. With a scream, he'd somehow scrambled up to a vertical position, facing the person responsible for the rude awakening. His brain registered that his mother, still holding the bucket, was the culprit, and proceeded to screech about what a terrible mother she was to do something so cruel to her son. When he finally wondered why it was so light in the halls and his room even though the lights were out was when he saw that the light was moving and dancing with the shadows in a warm glow, and he stopped his rant.

He was still trying to decide if the house really was on fire or not when Rin (fully clothed and with a pack hastily slung over a shoulder, he realized) scooped him up and he saw flames and smoke that was so bright and thick it made his eyes water flash by, and then he was outside in the cold night air that rushed past just as quickly.

"Okaa-san?" was the first thing he asked, in an honest, abashed voice without any of his usual childish wickedness or sweetness.

"It looks like we have to go floating around again, like we were when you were no bigger than my forearm."

"But why? What just happened? Was that a fire? Is the house gone, now?"

She nodded.

"Who did it?"

Though her eyes still looked at him with some worry and sadness, a smile quirked up, and then she shook her head. "Honey, I don't know, but we're going to have to be careful. Just stay by me, all right? No matter what, stay by me."

.-.-.

Kakashi only took a break to convene with the ANBU some more before he set to some more climbing and exercise, intent fully on wearing himself out. He made his visits with them short, not letting anyone have a chance in catching him and bog him down with additional paperwork that he might successfully avoid by simply being absent. Sure, he had a job to do, but that doesn't mean he wants to fill out papers for every single ANBU he's got working in this complex, then papers for ones at the village, then even more papers for ones that were unaccounted for otherwise (i.e. Yuugao and Sai). He knew very well that the work would be quickly relegated to others if it was urgent, and, besides, he _needed_ to delay in explaining Yuugao and Sai.

Perhaps he should have visited Obito more than once before leaving this time, because now his mind was jumbled up with thoughts of back when, apologies to more than a few of the dead, and several lines of "I wonder..." that didn't do anything productive, just ran a bit and hung off into space. Kakashi had two habits that amounted to his own form of meditation, and talking to Obito was one of them. He felt like he needed it, and he had trouble bringing himself to read Icha Icha instead.

Somehow, it seemed... well... _awkward_ to read Jiraiya's novels with the knowledge that he had a wife and kid somewhere. Best thing he could do with himself is try to clear his mind by intense training the whole day, then go to his room exhausted and sleep the entire night.

"OI!"

Kakashi finally heard the voice calling for him, then looked over his shoulder to Ao. The Kiri-nin looked already to be in a bit of a surly mood, glaring with his one good eye and his hands gripping into the side of the cliff. Kakashi smiled and shrugged the shoulder that wasn't busy supporting his weight.

"You need something?"

"Who in his right mind goes to climb cliffs while preparing for a war?" Ao shook his head. "Look, your damn ANBU are swarming the place enough that I thought they could forward to you a simple message and keep you to date on things, but none of them seem to have a clue what you're up to, so I came to find you myself. How the hell are we supposed to find you if something big comes up?"

Kakashi kept smiling. "Glad to instill that much trust in the rest of you." He started climbing again. "You do realize this complex _is_ in Hi no Kuni territory?"

"Only because it's the most logical place in topography." Ao grunted and followed, surly mood actually starting to fall away from Kakashi's ridiculously baldfaced behavior. "Anyway, Hatake, you need to know about this. Taki is sending a couple representatives tomorrow. Already sent notice."

"Ah. That was quick." Kakashi lost grip a second and fell backwards a bit before he caught another handhold and pulled himself back against the rock. "Baki does good work."

Ao grunted in agreement and shook off some of the dust that managed to get on him from Kakashi's struggle. "Seems... that he did a job in convincing them, but they'll still need some pressure since they're just sending people to _consider_ it, not to go full in. I'm sure you got that much." He hopped up a little to keep up with Kakashi, and another rain of dust and small rocks greeted them. He sputtered a little and continued. "Their guys will probably be coming in about the same time Joubin is escorted here from our village, so there's going to be a lot of activity tomorrow. So I hope we don't have to collect you from a mountain face beforehand. We're getting dirty enough just from this little discussion."

Kakashi looked up at the top of the cliff. "I'll see what I can do, and I look forward to meeting Joubin."

"I'm _sure_ you are." Ao switched hands holding onto the cliff a moment and wiped off some dirt that had gotten around his good eye. "I'd rather be back in Kiri, myself. I like things to be hands on. So if I could convince him to take over for me here, then I'm sure the world will be at _joys_ with so many of the leaders in this arrangement being of a very..." Ao paused a moment and stared hard at the rock to come up with a good way to describe it. "... a very unusual... and unfortunate... _'brotherhood'_."

Kakashi didn't look at him, but he did nod. "You know, 'unfortunate' is a word I hear thrown about a lot when speaking about what happened, but the more I find out about it, the less _fortune_ seems to have a place in it."

"Which is exactly why it's so _interesting_. Personally, I'll just be glad to get out of this." Ao looked to be considering jumping down, but turned again to Kakashi with a new point that came to his head. "Oh, I also came to tell you not to expect Ame coming in too soon to this little alliance, so don't count on getting their intelligence network."

"I wasn't expecting Ame coming in _at all_."

"Well, yes, but..." Ao grimaced and pulled back a hand again, shaking it like it'd been bitten, then returning it to a different handhold. "It looks like the people thrown out of Ame when Pain came into power have jumped back in, and now there's a possibility of a civil war again for them. You might consider prodding Konoha into helping the former administration retake control if you think you can spare it."

"Hmm, we're close to the top. Anyway, I don't know if we can, but if Ame keeps connections with the Akatsuki, we might not have a choice."

"That's how the rest of us feel, but I think Konoha might like an extra measure towards this."

Kakashi turned towards Ao as fully as he could the first time during this discussion. "Hn?"

"Well, your village was attacked by Pain, after all. You guys have a good wedge to put in, either way." Ao made a half-hearted attempt to shrug that looked more like he was readjusting his weight. "The way I see it... when it's all said and done... Pain did a wreck to the place but there were no casualties, while Pain himself perished. He looked like a formidable force, but honestly, what has he really accomplished himself?" He frowned and looked at the top. "You sure we're close?"

"Yeah, the edge is just a few more meters. You were saying? Pain?"

"Right. Pain might have taken Amegakure, but that region is always in turmoil, and he certainly didn't keep it any longer than Hanzou before him. History will see him as nothing more than a hiccup to mention in passing about the tumultuous period before this war. If Ame goes back to its _former_ regime, Pain's influence would be erased, and whoever comes in to take the spot will thank Konoha for their role in taking him out."

"You really think they would? They might be more interested in restructuring than showing thanks. And didn't Pain kill everyone associated with Hanzou?"

"He could only kill everyone related to Hanzou he could get his hands on. A lot of people hid away before Pain started that genocide. Oh good, we are at the top." They both pulled themselves up to the flat ground at the top and sat with their legs dangling. "And about thanking Konoha... I don't think they'd have much of a _choice_."

"Hn. You have a point, there."

The conversation with Ao giving a few more complaints about Kakashi's unavailability before he went on his way and jumped down the cliff, giving the impression that he honestly didn't give a _damn_ about what Kakashi did, how he did it, or any motives he had, as long as they_ got through this war. _Well, they all lived through the same war before, just on different sides. That was an understandable sentiment.

On the other hand, this was going to be the first war for a lot of people close to him. Kakashi frowned at this thought and turned to climb the tallest tree on the cliff.

.-.-.

The man at the desk rubbed his temples through the cloth of his Taki hitai-ate, looking up at Yuugao and her party like he wasn't sure if he wanted to scream in anger or cry. "Why is it Konoha ninja are always the ones to discover something bad happening?"

Yuugao tried a sheepish smile. It came out crooked. "I'm sorry that it appears that way."

"Look, I can't let you talk to anybody higher up, because we're going to be sending people to Hi no Kuni tomorrow anyway. So if this is about that damned alliance... I sympathize, but all this extra pressure is just going to antagonize us if you keep hitting us like this."

"It's nothing like that!" She held up her hands. "I just want to make sure that everyone is accounted for! It looks like an attack by a ninja, and if it's in your territory... I thought that, since we're here, we could, you know, offer some help?"

He looked up at them with a pained expression of someone with a toothache they wished would just _go away_. "Aren't you aware of how suspicious it is to offer help while informing us about something like this? Especially during such a time?"

She sighed. "Painfully, sir."

"So just tell me why you're here if it isn't put on more pressure."

Yuugao resisted the urge to bite her lip. She couldn't tell him their mission; it was clear by how Kakashi gave it to them that it was meant to be a secret. "We were sent to track a missing-nin and had come into your country. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to send forewarning about our intruding in your territory, for which I apologize."

"All right, fine. I guess that's a good enough excuse. Do you believe that missing-nin caused the fire?"

She hesitated. "Well, it's possible. But this nin isn't known to use any fire-jutsu, and that seems to be the means of the arson."

"Is this nin involved at all? How is it you came to the burned house?"

"It was on the way in the trail. We went to make sure no one was hurt. We didn't see any bodies, so there's that."

"Could you tell me who exactly was the missing-nin you were sent to track?"

"Well, that's-" Yuugao was (thankfully) interrupted when the two ninken began barking and ran out of the office. "Oi!" she called after them, "What's with you two?!"

"I'll go after them, Yuugao-taichou!" Sakura called, and was, in a moment, gone after them.

Yuugao looked at the ninja at the desk again, seeing his eyes wide while watching the trail they'd left behind. "Do your summons usually act like that?!" he cried.

The dogs had gotten a head-start on Sakura, so by the time she caught up to them, they had already tackled down a Taki-nin to the ground, Shiba on his shoulder and Pakkun gripping his own jaws on the ninja's ankle. The ninja's partner had just pulled out a kunai when Sakura grabbed his wrist. "Stop!"

The ninja shoved her away and spat, waving the kunai. "What the hell! We're just on our way to your fucking country and we suddenly get attacked by you! Are you guys trying to tell us to draw our lines _now_, because we will!"

"Calm down, Kegon!" the ninja on the ground called, "They aren't exactly attacking."

"Aren't attacking my ass!" Kegon shouted, "Those two dogs just took you to the ground!"

"Yeah, but nothing else." The ninja winced, but he smiled up at Sakura regardless. "Miss, mind telling me why your dogs are latched onto me like this?"

"They aren't my dogs," Sakura said firstly, then gasped and shook her head. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what's gotten into them! We just came to this village on a mission, and the dogs have been acting a little odd the whole time! We all kind of have."

"It's okay, Miss. But, if you please..."

"You're too kind, Ginzu-san," Kegon said, shaking his head.

Sakura knelt and tried to coax them to let go, but they merely growled and gripped harder. Sakura looked up nervously at the ninja. "Erh... they don't seem to want to let go. You two, we have to find who was responsible for that burned-down house outside of town. We'll need these people's help."

"Fire?" both ninja said.

Shiba gripped harder, but Pakkun stopped and came up to Sakura, still growling. "This man's scent, I've smelled we've smelled it before," he whispered.

"Huh?" She leaned closer.

"He's been to Rin's house. Frequently."

Her eyes popped wide, and the next moment they were narrowed. She frowned resolutely. "May I talk to you privately, uh... Ginzu-san?"

Ginzu nodded with a brow raised. Shiba relinquished his hold and let him stand up and brush himself off, but kept growling. "I'll be right back, Kegon."

Kegon shook his head. "We've got to get going soon, Ginzu-san. Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, just wait here."

"Okay. If you need anything, Ginzu-san..." He passed a distrustful eye over Sakura and the dogs. "...Don't hesitate to call."

Ginzu lead them a decent distance, outside of earshot and eyesight from the curious onlookers that had wondered why someone would suddenly come out and attack a shinobi so randomly. "What is this about, Miss...?"

"Sakura. Ginzu-san..." She pulled out a kunai of her own. "Did you have anything to do with Yagami Rin's being burned down last night?"

"What?" The ninja, who had been cool and amicable to this point, had his own eyes grow wide, and one of his large hands hovered in front of his chest. "Rin? What are you... Is she okay? How about Baajiru?"

"You tell me!" she shouted.

"What? I wouldn't...!"

"You were there, weren't you?!"

"Actually, Sakura," Pakkun interrupted, "He hasn't been there for a couple days. We could smell it's been a while since his last visit."

"Huh?" She looked down at the pug incredulously. "You're kidding! Then why did you tackle him like that?!"

"_Because_," Pakkun growled, "He's _been there frequently_."

He sighed. "It isn't like that. We're just... Sakura-san... _please..._ Tell me, are they okay?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. We haven't seen them or their bodies. But don't think I trust you just yet! What did you say was the boy's name? Baajiru?"

Ginzu looked troubled. "You're from Konohagakure. Did the Hokage send you to collect her? I heard the Hokage regained consciousness and retook her position."

"It doesn't matter who sent me," Sakura answered, "And I'm the one asking the questions here! We need to find her and her son!"

"I don't know where they'd be, I... oh god, why_ now?_ I have to leave the village tonight. I don't have time to look for them, but I can't just..."

"What is Rin to you, Ginzu-san?" Sakura asked. The two dogs growled threateningly in the wake of the question.

He was silent a moment. It was hard to tell if the question actually affected him.

"How do you think of Rin?"

Ginzu closed his eyes and laid his hands down on Sakura's shoulders, kneeling his great frame down to look at her eye to eye. "My great-aunt lives not too far from where Rin's house is... was... Rin leaves Baajiru with her often. I doubt that's the case this time, but she might have left a message with her. They're both _technically_ on the run from the Dajare, if you've heard of them... but I haven't heard any activity from them since... Well, not for a few months, anyway. They should still think she's dead." He frowned and looked down, to the side. "If you find them, when you take them back to Konohagakure... make sure they're both well protected. Rin might need to change her identity, so please keep that in mind when you report to the Hokage, okay?"

Confusion and edges of panic came to Sakura's voice. "What?"

"Look, I have to go. I need to be in Hi no Kuni to work out a possible alliance and intelligence network there. I wish you good luck. If you find them... tell them I wish the same for them." He let go and rose. When he turned to walk away, she called after him.

"Wait! Who are the 'Dajare'?! Are they other ninja?! How do I know them when I see them?"

He didn't turn. "You _won't_ know them when you see them." He kept walking.


	15. Rain before the Storm

Disclaimer: Chapter hermapheronin. I mean, uh, chapter six. Also: Another OC alert.

Woo! Late chapter is late again!  
Krazed: I agree! All discussions should be on cliffs, because diplomacy gets _boring_.  
Butterfly: Their reputation is actually pretty thin. Ginzu is just the best person to give warnings, fortunately. And I did mention the meaning before in chapter two: "dajare" means "pun".  
kakarin fan: Thank you muchly!  
Duchess: I'm always grateful for reviews, and certainly for the help and critique within them.

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"It would be pointless for me to say that I don't trust the Leaf."

Ginzu smiled. "It's not that I don't see where you're coming from, Kegon; I do, and I agree with you. I just think you might have a bias from that chuunin exam a couple years ago."

Kegon made a half-frown at his superior. "Nevermind that you were just taken down by a couple foreign summons this morning by them. I respect you, Ginzu-san, but sometimes I think you might be a little too kind. Too gentle. Tell me: are there two strong fighters out in this world that know you as their sworn brother?"

Ginzu overlooked the reference on purpose. "You'd be surprised how many people might call me their big brother, but that's not the point. The whole thing is a little strange and we're being dragged into a war that we have nothing to do with… _as far as we know_. It will be the job of the representatives of the five great nations to convince us that we _do_ has something to do with it. Or that we should at least figure out a reason to be involved ourselves."

"So you _do_ think they're going to force us to engage."

"Oh, not so much, because they _already have_. But you can't blame them; delay at this stage of the war planning might give a lot of grief and bad blood later on that could have been avoided."

"But you didn't see that girl's teammates, did you? I think they were ANBU. One of them—not the leader—had one of those black mantles over his shoulders that I think ANBU wear when they aren't in uniform. I bet the guy representing Konohagakure at the meeting sent them to pressure us more."

"Huh? ANBU don't wear anything like that off-duty. Wait… I take that back. I think a certain branch of them wears that. I think… right it was Danzou's group. The Root."

"Danzou was that guy that was Hokage but got killed a little bit ago, right?"

"Well he wasn't Hoka—wait! A Root!"

Kegon looked over Ginzu, confused that he was suddenly alarmed. "What's wrong?"

What was wrong was the fact that Root was involved with their workings when he was working under the Dajare, and it was Danzou's hand that signed over Rin and her teammate as sacrifices to the complex at Matsubaran-zan. And he just _confirmed_ to someone on a team with a Root that Rin had still been alive. Ginzu groaned and shook his head. "I… might've given information that I wouldn't exactly want Konoha's Root to know."

"Eh? Are you serious, Ginzu-san?" Kegon gave him an incredulous look. "That someone like you could do something like that…"

"I might need some major damage control. They've probably already left Taki by now… damnit. Maybe I could get to a superior in Hi no Kuni before the information gets there."

"Well…" The younger ninja continued to look uncertain. "You know, the guy who runs ANBU for Konohagakure is the one doing their part in that information network they're trying to put together. We'll be meeting with him, and I'm sure that you can't get much higher than that… Didn't you know that, Ginzu-san? It was in the scroll we were given."

"Yes, well, about that…" Ginzu pulled out his mission scroll, half-ruined with dirty handprints, random tears, and blue paint. "…I think I need to stop visiting friends with important scrolls in my pouch."

"At least ones with disobedient five-year-olds. This is what I mean by 'too gentle'!"

.-.-.

When Oboro nearly launched himself across the table at Ryuusui, it was clear that these peace talks were not going well. Civil war was not new to Amegakure, but with news of the newly declared ninja war between the big five and Akatsuki spread across the continent, the ninja who consider themselves from the Village Hidden in the Rain had to come to terms with the fact that their heavily industrialized town could now be the battlefield for an _international_ offense. This alone was sobering enough to force both sides to at least try to negotiate. If they didn't get things consolidated, their proud and progressive infrastructure would quickly become a memory, not to mention what sort of pressures it could put on the people of an already war-torn country.

But the bad blood that had been running now ran worse. They were now divided between those who had been loyal to Pain and those who had been loyal to Hanzou, and Pain's takeover made a deep cut into his opposition that left an ugly scar. Pain killed Hanzou and everyone remotely connected to him that didn't flee far enough out of his grasp to avoid his wrath. But despite the genocide, the loyalty of the elites of Amegakure ran deep towards him, and they were able to hide and bide their time, trying from time to time to remove Pain themselves, which made the numbers of dead by his hand continue its slow crescendo until his own death in Konohagakure.

Nadeshiko, maybe the last of Hanzou's students, had been the one to pull Oboro and Ryuusui apart, though her fiery eyes had been burning holes into each of the ninja across the table that sported hitai-ate with the symbol of their village scratched out, and every word that came from her lips poured with disgust at these _traitors_. She returned to her seat, frowning, and placed a hand on the breathing mask that she removed for this meeting, the one that marked her as one of Hanzou's former operators and she wore with pride. The shouts in the room quieted again.

Somehow, even though she had been struggling with her weaknesses and insecurities after Hanzou's assassination until now, Nadeshiko's presence brought in the most respect out of anyone from either side in this room. The Akatsuki had changed its leadership quickly, and the remnants of them that had been known to Amegakure have all but disappeared. Though his followers counted many, without Pain and his Akatsuki, they were without their own elite ninja, which still numbered in the opposing side, despite the genocide and failed missions. They didn't control the village yet, but it was clear that if something wasn't done, these elites would get support without a second thought from one of the big five and retake control.

Ryuusui kept sweating… This country was humid even in the winter, but he lived here long enough to be used it. It was the precarious position he knew they were all in that soaked his hitai-ate. These elites stared down at them, because they had the upper hand here and they knew it. The rest of the ninja world would help them easily, even applaud them for being in the right, but what of the terrors of the past? What of Hanzou's crimes?

The piercing eyes of Nadeshiko were not much better than the black eyes of the Salamander. Things would be the same as before.

"You don't want unnecessary death, do you?" Ryuusui stuttered, "You may overpower us, but we still make up most of the fighting population of Ame. There will need to be foreign occupation if you took over by force just to keep Akatsuki from coming back. Do you want that to happen? Do you want foreign powers to have their hands in our security?"

"Security is the greatest enemy," Nadeshiko toned in darkly. She took a breath and leaned back in her chair with her eyes still resolutely holding on to his. "I wondered what he meant by that before, because security was his greatest achievement in keeping peace in Ame as long as he had. But after Pain, after… everything…. more and more, I think I understand what he meant…" She frowned and curled her fingers around the mask. "Security is more of a beast than Chaos, sometimes, especially so when it's necessary. I had once thought he worked to keep security strong, but now I think most of his day was spent keeping security in check. To not let it swallow this village whole."

Ryuusui found himself shaking and grasped his hands together. He wasn't meant to be here and he was more than self-conscious of it. But was there really anyone suited on their side for this discussion? "Then what of foreign occupation?"

Her voice was deadly certain. "It could very well be a necessary evil, one we could need whether or not you wish to cooperate with us."

He clenched his hands and felt the wave of dread run through the other ninja of Pain. He needed help, damnit! He couldn't sit here against Nadeshiko alone, not when the only people behind him were every bit as weak in their eyes as he was. He might as well be in one-on-one combat with Hanzou's last student, because that'd end the same way, just a little more bloody and a lot quicker.

The room must've been silent, because the sound of the door opening was jarring. Heads turned. Ryuusui's face brightened with grateful relief as if angel had come with a godsend. "Konan-sama!"

His exclamation echoed in the mutters of the other slashed hitai-ate behind him as Pain's former angel and second-in-command entered, sans the black Akatsuki cloak that had been ubiquitous before. Nadeshiko's demeanor visibly curled and she rose. "You!"

"When I heard about this meeting, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to make it..." Happy murmurs came on their side.

"Terrorist bitch!" Nadeshiko's hand took the mask and threw it to the wall, shattering the glass goggles on them. The room was shocked back into silence, all eyes on her. "How dare you show yourself here?" She stalked over and grabbed Konan by the front of her outfit, getting into her face.

Konan only looked at Nadeshiko sadly, passively. "I know we've caused you all a lot of pain, haven't we?"

"You started a genocide that killed nearly all that remained of my friends, and kept disposing of us one after the other....! Your presence is a shit stain on their memory! On Hanzou-sensei and Ugatsu-kun and every one that Pain killed without a second thought! What the fuck right to you have to be here?"

"Nadeshiko-san, that's exactly why I'm here." She made a slow smile. "I want to make amends. Both for myself and for Nagato."

Nadeshiko sneered at her, then tossed her away as if she was no longer worth considering. "Akatsuki scum! Fine! What do you have to propose in this failure of a peace talk meeting?"

"Exactly that. Peace."

"You make it sound so easy..."

"Maybe it is..." Konan walked to Nadeshiko's mask and bent down to pick it up. "The circle of violence can't continue forever, can it?" Paper folded out from her hands and sealed over where harder parts of the mask had cracked. She smiled again and handed it towards Nadeshiko. "Maybe we can finally put these things behind us? For the sake of Amegakure?"

Nadeshiko's eyes shot wide with offense. "Are you suggesting a friendship? How could I possibly ally with such a person as _you?_"

"We don't have to be friends, or even allies or acquaintances. But before our hate consumes us... can we try to put it aside and see the village as it stands now? As it will stand soon? I am no longer God's Angel. I am no longer part of the Akatsuki. I'm just Konan. Alone, but still here to offer you something." She stretched the mask towards her.

"..." Nadeshiko stared hard at the mask. "There is no one here capable to lead Ame anymore. You killed all of them. No one here can get the respect. Not to mention filling a council and—"

"That's not true!" Oboro spoke up and stood. "Even with the divide in the village, I know..."

"Oboro!" Nadeshiko chastised. "You already lost yourself once and... to hell with it, we've all lost our heads!" She sat down in her chair and leaned back. "...How pitiful. Our village is broken again and again and again that I don't even think 'security' is a glue anymore. We're just trying to sprinkle our society into it and mold the security into a form itself, aren't we? It really is a great enemy, Hanzou-sensei..."She shut her eyes. "The ninja all strike the symbol of the village from their foreheads as if it should be shamed, and yet they are the majority."

"Nadeshiko-san..."

"Hmm?" She sat up and saw that Konan had placed the mask before her, along with a paper flower. "What's this?"

"It's my vote. Nagato would want us to work towards peace. The Akatsuki that he had kept has changed its direction away after he realized what we should have been fighting for. I now plead that this village could see the same realization, so that we might one day reach peace ourselves."

Nadeshiko snorted. "This isn't a time for pretty words and ideals. A war is starting, you know."

"Which is why I think Nadeshiko-san should be village leader."

"Ehh?" In one jump she was already standing. "What did you say? I have nowhere near the qualifications for such a job! I'm just a normal kunoichi, trained like any of the rest of the ninja here. _Maybe_ I'm an elite, but only because of Hanzou-sensei's training... And he _didn't_ train us in administration; he only _complained_ about it to us. He insisted we shouldn't get involved!"

Konan's eyes shot wide and she gasped, then she bit her lip. "Is that so... I never realized..."

"So now can you understand?"

Konan looked down and up again, conflicted. "I never realized Hanzou had a human side to him as well, to want to spare his students from being leader. I saw what being a leader did to Pai—to Nagato. It was painful to watch."

Nadeshiko was stunned, and she sat again. After a long silence, she spoke. "I'm not qualified. It this past year I wasn't even fit to go on a C-rank mission, let alone lead anyone. Hell, I don't even know why no one else here is speaking besides me."

"That's because you started this mission yourself, Nadeshiko-san," Ryuusui came in suddenly, "You wanted to have the meeting, you wanted everything to work. You insisted on it. And we... we came."

"Right!" Oboro spoke up again, "We would still be arguing with our kunai if you didn't drag us in here!"

She looked over them all again. All eyes were on her. All hopeful. Even those across the table from her. They wanted peace, and they were looking to her for it. Her, of all people!

_Hanzou-sensei... Ugatsu-kun... Six-Oh-One... everyone... what would you think?_ It was a bad idea to let her thoughts cross to the dead, because tears sprung to her eyes without any problem. She flung them off like they stung her cheeks and cleared her throat.

"First order... I want proper hitai-ate made and worn immediately. Four horizontal lines, period. Our village is too strong to associate with the missing-nin that bleed out of _weak_ villages."

.-.-.

"We have no leads."

"Hai, Yuugao-taichou."

"I mean it Sakura. The trail is cold. Dead." Yuugao cringed, wanting to fist her hands in her hair and scream. "...So why did you let the only lead we had to her walk away like that?"

"He didn't seem to know anything about the fire, and even Pakkun said that he hadn't been around her house for a couple of days. And he needed to leave the village for a mission."

"I guess we couldn't detain a foreign ninja from his duties in this kind of mission, huh?" Yuugao groaned and fell down to a crouch. "But that old woman couldn't offer us anything.. I don't know a thing about this 'dajare' nonsense... And we very well couldn't go _back_ to Takigakure to ask more questions."

Sai came up beside them. "So what are your orders, Yuugao-taichou?"

She groaned. "Go back to the house and fan out from there. We've already wasted a lot of time, but the trail might not be cold yet." No sooner did she say that then there were a pair of howls that echoed through the boughs of the trees. Nothing said, they all three jumped to the dogs. "What did you find?"

"Blood," Pakkun reported, gesturing towards Shiba, who was pointing at a stick of grass.

"Whose?"

"I don't know, but we can smell whoever it was, Rin attacked him." The two sniffed around the area.

"The scent for Rin and two men is strong, and they went due west," Shiba proclaimed, "The child seems to have separated and gone south, but his scent fades quickly. We probably won't be able to find him."

"Rin must've been captured, and she left a trail purposefully." Yuugao nodded, spirits allowing to rise. "Yosh! West it is, then! Quickly!"

.-.-.

On the road in, Ginzu bumped into Joubin, and the first thought that came to his head was "number three-nine-seven-two", then the puling call that "thirty-nine seventy-two" was being a pain again, so someone should call for backup again. He shook his head, smiled, and offered his hand like he would for anyone else.

Entering the complex, another number popped up as the serious half-face of Baki greeted him with a tone of a soldier-general and lead him through the halls, informing him there was still some time before they had to meet.

"Before that," Ginzu said with his usual amicable, controlled tone, "I would like to meet with the one representing Konoha's side in this collective intelligence network. I have some words to share with him. Kegon, you can go and we'll meet up again at the meeting."

"Ah," Kegon grunted in affirmation, then separated.

Baki looked amused. "Almost everyone wants to see him here, but he does need to see you officially, after all. Hopefully he isn't off climbing again; he's been reclusive lately. Though I can't say I'm an old friend of his, I feel that I know him well enough to determine that he's been acting strangely."

"These are strange times, Baki-san. Every man is allowed to react as he will. After all, he's Danzou's replacement, correct?"

"Hmmm... though I agree these are strange times, I might already be getting tired of hearing about it. Here's his office. I wouldn't bother knocking; Hatake sometimes pretends he's not in."

"'Hatake'?"

Baki pushed open the door, revealing the gray-haired Leaf ninja with fingers covered with ink squeezing down a stack of important-looking documents, half of them looking crumpled and torn from frustration."

"Brilliant filing system you've devised," Baki said, voice hovering between admiring and amused.

"I'd chuck them into the sea if this place wasn't landlocked! Ah, and this is...?"

Ginzu felt realization pour down his form like molten lead, freezing him in place as he came to understand the depth of this situation. Despite the years he'd spent as a confidant to Rin, hearing the man's name again and again as she described him, "number four-one-six-six" first sprang as pure reflex in his brain. He knew this man. He knew him when he was forced to wear rags and locked up in a hole in the wall. He knew his mind because it had been his job, as Oniisama, to know his mind. Even though he was sure he'd know him as the Hatake Kakashi Rin described so many times, his instincts reminded him immediately of the dangerous numbered prisoner.

_"I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"_

"This is Ginzu, the senior of those representing Takigakure," Baki's voice forced Ginzu out of the memory. "He's wishing to meet with you."

"Of course. Good day, Ginzu-san. You seem a little preoccupied."

"Ah, I was just wondering on a philosophy... if a man should be happy to walk into a lion's den if it means good news for your friends, and if the lions are full enough to leave him to be happy. Good day to you, Hatake Kakashi-san. I bring fond tidings from our village."

Kakashi chuckled. "I wasn't aware Takigakure's ninja were also philosophers."

"Only the foolish ones such as myself."

* * *

Ah, Romance of the Three Kingdoms reference.  
I'm writing too many goddamn diplomacy meetings. NO MORE MEETINGS!


	16. Subjective Pain

Disclaimer: Chapter 1 or 2, but more of 1 than two.

Woo! I'm _so_ late in updating! And plus I haven't updated the pages at all! (I've been drawing, but that's mostly been superheroes for daily challenges.)  
Port: Yeah, it was kinda fillerific. Unfortunately for us, the majority of a war is spent on diplomacy and preparation.  
EndDragon: Yay! Your inquiry is just about to be explained! And thanks for the compliments.  
Krazed: I have to go to meetings a lot, too, but they usually aren't too bad since they're pretty informal and there's often food. But I'm glad someone's enjoying the OCs, because I always feel a little wary when using them for more than props/extras.

* * *

Sakura dodged the literal line of fire and obeyed Yuugao's orders to change formation. One fist imbued with the chakra control of a true medic, and the ground split beneath them, throwing the ninja off his feet with the unexpected rumble to the ground.

The other enemy ninja wasn't so easily to confuse and jumped before the miniature quake could get to him. Handsigns were made, and a volley of kunai was thrown at them from above. They ducked behind some rubble that Sakura just made while Sai brought forth another ink creation to fight.

"How did we get into this fight?" Sakura whined.

Yuugao kept her eyes trained forward on the enemy. "It _is_ a little annoying. These guys are just missing nin working for some slavers in this area from what I know. Why they would kidnap a ninja is beyond me. Maybe they were trying to get her son."

The one on the ground shrieked as Sai's ink lion overtook him, but the other followed up quickly. Yuugao saw an opening and dashed out, catching him under his arms.

He struggled. "You bitch! Let go of me!"

She kept a strong hold on him. "Not until you bring us to the woman you kidnapped."

"We have _several_ women," he growled, then instantly regretted the quip when she tightened her hold and gave him a very unpleasant stretch to his spine. "Ahh! We got a kunoichi a few days ago. Brown hair, purple tattoos..."

"_That's her! _You're going to bring us to her, got me?"

With the help of Sai's scurrying ink rats, they were able to secure the small slaver camp with little trouble, finding that it was mostly just some tents, a fireplace, and a cage for holding. No one else bothered them as they came in, their approach rejoiced by several voices calling from the cage.

"Ninja have come! We're saved!"

"You must be Kunoichi-sama's friends! Thank you so much!"

"Is that her son? Poor thing, he looks pale as a ghost!"

As they came closer, they saw that only a few of them were clinging at the bars by the lock. More of them seemed to be huddled towards the back, speaking to someone who was reclining in a corner.

"Kunoichi-sama! It's just as you said! Your son has come back with help! We're saved!"

The reclining figure rose like a corpse struggling to sit up and shook her head to get her brown hair out of her eyes. "Eh?" She looked over and fixed her eyes ahead on their saviors, her eyes thoughtful, examining, _confused_.

Yuugao smiled broadly and felt her eyes starting to hurt with swell. The dogs at their feet yipped and barked excitedly.

Rin shakily stood without propping up on an arm and came to the front, the others in the cage parting ways to let her pass. She stopped not many centimeters away from the door and stared at them long, keeping a serious expression, hands still behind her back. Eventually, she sighed with a matching smile. "I expected help to come, but I didn't expect it like this. Ah!" Rin found herself pulled forward into a hug through the bars.

"We've all missed you! I can't believe you're still alive!" She hugged her tighter and held back tears. "Kakashi-senpai found out you were still alive and sent us to bring you back!"

Rin gave a weak chuckle. "I thought it was something like that. I'd love to hug you back, Yuugao, but my hands are nailed. Can you open this cage first?"

Soon there was whooping and cheering as the other captives picked each other up to pull out into freedom. Many thanked Rin's "friends and son" until Sai eventually corrected them and explained that he'd never even seen her before. A few of them boasted on Rin's behalf. In the meantime, however, Pakkun and Shiba circled her and barked, occasionally stopping to sniff and whine.

"I'd love to greet you guys properly, but I can't," she said, and their whine turned forlorn. She looked up at Yuugao. "Did you bring a medic-nin?"

Before she could respond, Sakura chirped up, "I'm a medic-nin!"

Rin smiled at her and turned, showing her hands. "Could you take care of this for me? There are only two nails, so healing shouldn't be too difficult."

Sakura had to stifle back a gasp, horrified even though it logically made sense. They had captured a ninja and didn't want her to escape, so this was a very good method of keeping her hands "tied". Both hands were sandwiched between two small wooden boards and nailed through behind her back. Though there was definitely a risk of infection doing this, they most likely were going to heal her up before they sold her, if they didn't just release her as is when they were done. Sakura mumbled something that was supposed to come out as "I'll take care of it," and got to work removing the hardware and fixing her up as gently as she could.

Sai, however, wasn't perturbed, having seen similar methods of restraint in his past, and spoke his mind freely. "I don't understand. If your hands were bound behind you, how could you do all these things that these people have said you've done?"

Rin grinned bashfully, only indication that she felt a nail being pulled a cringing eye. "I didn't really do anything other than trash talk. Apparently they'd come in often to abuse these people and take advantage of them, or 'test run' the girls, and it stopped when I came. But I really didn't do anything; they just got unnerved."

"Unnerved?"

"They thought it was weird that I didn't look scared, and I told them exactly why that was the case. Ever since then, they seemed afraid of doing anything like that in front of me." She shrugged, still keeping the sheepish smile. Sai didn't appear to understand what she meant, but it dawned quickly on Yuugao and she swallowed.

"But I honestly didn't think it'd be you who would come to save me. Is there anyone else with you?"

Yuugao shook her head. "Kakashi-senpai sent us because he couldn't come himself. He's busy with being the new ANBU and Root head, and has to prepare for the war."

"Well... I see... I meant more... erh... How did you find me, exactly?"

"You seem to have left a trail behind."

"I have, but... Honestly, I thought it'd be someone from Takigakure that my son would've brought. I told him to hide, but he rarely does what I tell him to; he would have went to find Ginzu and come after me."

"Ginzu?" Sakura spoke up as she finished.

"Yes, he's a friend of mine and... oh!" She pulled her hands before her and tested them, clenching and unclenching them. "You do good work, Sakura. Your control must be good to have my ligaments without any hindrance so soon after a healing session. Thank you."

Sakura smiled with a prideful blush, about to thank Rin for the compliment when the dogs pounced on the older ninja, demanding her attention. Rin laughed and petted them, stroked them, babbling at them like they were simply familiar dogs licking her tattooed cheeks and not highly-trained ninken.

"I'd love to play catch-up... but there's still the matter of my son... if he's not here, I need to find out where he is."

"Ah, I was about to say..." Sakura cut in, "...that we met a ninja named 'Ginzu' in Takigakure... but he was leaving for a mission."

"Mission?" Rin's brows furrowed in thought. "That's right... he brought a scroll with his mission briefing last time, and Baajiru kept stealing it from him..."

.-.-.

Ginzu had utmost confidence that he would never be recognized as Oniisama. The masks they always wore changed their voices, and special genjutsu were in place to make identification by scent difficult... Genjutsu that he was even able to improve, for Jaken's sake, so that they were indistinguishable from the bleach-clean smell of the hallways and instruments. There was only one time he could have dropped that genjutsu in Kakashi's presence, and Kakashi's nostrils had to be too full of Kondoru's blood scent to smell anything else.

This knowledge was enough to let him look at captives, even the ones from his own village, straight in the eye without a waver of his confidence. And yet, right here, even though he kept his surface as cool as ever, he couldn't shake off the under current within him, the dread that said with certainty _"I'm going to die."_

Maybe it was more than the fact Kakashi was another prisoner that'd kill him given the chance. Maybe it was the addition that he had been nearby this man's wife, been more of a husband and a father during those six years by merely hiding them and making them to be his surrogate family with the real father absent. _Oniisama_ had been close to Rin during these years, and if Kakashi had known, it would be the end for Ginzu.

At this moment, they were making their discussion as they walked to another point of interest, to meet and escort a representative from another village. The chatter was too official to be idle, but it didn't mean anything and both men knew it. Ginzu could feel Kakashi's rising concern that this man who wanted to speak with him so badly had not yet brought up the obviously sensitive matters he originally wanted to discuss, even with the added gift of a nonchalant walk away from any prying ears at the headquarters.

Just how does one tell a man that his wife he'd not seen in six years and his son he never met have gone missing with a burned house where they should be? Besides that conundrum, Ginzu was, honestly, scared to admit his closeness to Rin. Kakashi had every right to know, but Ginzu, even if he deserved it, didn't fancy having his raw heart feasted on by dogs.

_What to say?_ "Kakashi-san, the truth is, I needed to speak to you on more than merely my country interacting with yours."

"Is that so?" Kakashi's feigned surprise was surface at best and just part of the act. "What else would you need to discuss then?"

"A cell of Konohagakure ninja came to Taki shortly before I left, and one was definitely a Root, but they were not related to my mission."

"Hn, no doubt, then, you want to know why I'd se—ow!" Kakashi's head jerked forward with a _klunk!_ as a stone bounced off it. Ginzu blinked in surprise as Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "What was _that?_"

"No clue. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. It wasn't hard enough to hurt much. As I was saying..." They resumed walking for a little bit. "You must want to know why I'd send some ninja out on a mission through your territory at such a time."

"Of course, most people would want some sort of explanation for that."

"It's rather simple, but the affairs are more close to home, so I didn't think it necessary to give forewarning since it shouldn't have interfered with your villa-" _Klunk!_ "Ow!" Kakashi turned and searched the trees nearby for the culprit.

A monkey cackled, unseen, in the leaves and jumped with a rustle towards another branch.

Kakashi had a frown in his voice. "A macaque? Are they often this far South?"

"I don't know much about monkeys," Ginzu's voice was as flat as his smile had turned. _It couldn't be. Not all the way here. _"Are you sure you're all right?"

"Hn... I'm fine. A pebble won't hurt me." Kakashi rubbed his head where it was hit. "Where were we?"

"The affairs you sent them on were close to home, you were saying."

"Right. Well, as it stood, a few of our ninja might've been in that area that needed to be pulled out of there. Before your village gets the wrong idea, of course."

"Of course. But why weren't we told of this earlier?"

"To be frank, we didn't—" Kakashi grabbed the third rock and threw it back to its originator in one swift movement. With a screech, the monkey fell from its hidden perch in the boughs, and landed with a cloud of smoke.

"Huh, so it was someone in a henge. Anyway, we didn't think they would actually get too close to Takigakure, let alone drop by." Kakashi said, otherwise sounding unaffected and ready to continue to pursue the conversation.

Ginzu was opposite, eyes wide and jaw dropped and the most flabbergasted he'd been in years. In a second he was running towards where the cloud had erupted. "Baajiru!"

"Hn? Baajiru?"

A child lay unconscious in the bushes, blue-haired and similarly cheeked, clothes looking dirty from days of running. Ginzu took him by the shoulders and shook him slightly. "Baajiru! Baajiru! Are you okay? Wake up!"

Kakashi ambled up at his own leisure and looked over his shoulder curiously. "Is this your son?"

"Uh, not exactly, he's... Ah, Baajiru! Are you coming to? Please say you are, because your mother will kill us if she finds out about this..."

"'Us'? You aren't including me on this, are you? He was throwing rocks at _me_."

The boy grimaced and shook his head a bit before his eyes popped open. "...Ginzu-ojisan?"

"What on earth are you doing here? Where's your mother? What happened? I've been worried sick about you!"

"Waah! Slow down, Ginzu-ojisan! My head's spinning!"

Kakashi gave the scene a deadpan stare. "Ginzu-san, I acknowledge you don't have to tell me what's going on, but could you at least say why this child was in the trees, pretending to be a monkey, and throwing rocks at my head?"

"Ah… that's because… The truth is, Kakashi-san, this boy is—ow! Damnit, Baajiru!" He reflexively protected the shin that was just kicked.

Baajiru didn't apologize, instead stared dead on at Ginzu with serious eyes, and shook his head. "Ginzu-ojisan! Okaa-san is in trouble, and I don't want _him_ to know anything about it!"

"Baajiru, that's…"

"No!"

_Sigh._ "…As I was saying, this boy is my nephew by adoption. His home was recently found in smoldering ruins and the residents missing. Naturally, Baajiru had been missing to… until _now_, apparently. His… _behavior_ comes from being a brat."

"So I see. Still, that's pretty rough about his family. You still went on a mission with something like this happening back at home?"

"No choice; this war isn't going to wait for a burned house, and it's lucky enough that we have this much leisure to discuss before the strike, and damned if I didn't feel anxious that an explosive tag would go off while saying that. Thankful I might be for the time to prepare, but thankful for the time to consider I am not."

Kakashi chuckled, shoulders hunching a little as he bent in an amused, contemplative pose. "Dread before a war… I was a bit too young to really appreciate it last time. But too much time and resources spent in preparation can be worse to your side than actual conflict ever could be, and foremost of the reasons is what it does to your nerves."

"By what I can tell, it feels a lot like what precedes a large battle, just a little less full-on dread and a little more annoyance."

"Ah, I think I agree."

Baajiru was finally fed up with the prattle, and he huffed openly with plain annoyance at the adults, eyes now square on Kakashi. "Go away! I need to talk to Ginzu-ojisan!"

"Hn. All right. I'll be over he—"

"You don't have to leave, Kakashi-san. Baajiru, just tell me where your mother is. Is she safe?"

"I _wanna_ tell you but I don't want _him_ to hear!"

"Haaah, Baajiru, _please_ don't test me today and let him hear it. What happened?"

The boy went through the story of how they woke up to a burning building and abandoned it, traveled a few days, then were ambushed by a couple ninja. His mother had blocked them, told him to run, and kept them busy with their capture. He left out the part where she ordered him to lay low.

"I knew Ginzu-ojisan was here on a mission, so I came all the way here to get you to help! It took a while. I think I need new clothes, now. But I ran really really really fast to get here!"

"While we're on the subject of your appearance…" Ginzu plopped a large hand over Baajiru's scalp and rubbed hard, then examined his palm. "This isn't the grease paint you usually use."

"Nope! I got some color hair spray at a village. And a blue permanent marker for my face, too!"

Ginzu groaned. "I think we need to teach you about _priorities_…"

"It's not grease paint, so it's okay, right?"

"That's not the poi—nevermind. I can't go back to Taki right now, but there's already a search party looking." He left out that the search party was Kakashi's own that he sent—Kakashi figure that out, eventually, and Baajiru didn't need to know that. "But I don't trust you going back alone, so… you'll have to stay here until we figure something out."

"What?" Baajiru cried. "But I don't wanna be here! I wanna go to where Okaa-san is! I wanna help Okaa-san! What's the use of being a ninja if I can't help the people near me!"

"I doubt an academy brat like you could help out in this case," Kakashi interjected. This earned him a kick to the shins he actually didn't expect. "Ow!"

"Shut up! What do you know!"

"I have students of my own." He rubbed his leg. "Speaking of academies, perhaps we could have someone escort him back and keep him at your village's academy while his family is retrieved."

"Ah, he doesn't go to Taki's academy. Just normal school. He's a little young for it, anyway; he's only five."

"Is that too young? I graduated the academy at five, myself."

Ginzu kept his face straight. _Oh, that's right; you were one of those child prodigy monsters._ "Regardless, he hasn't been allowed to go to the ninja academy, yet; he's trained at home."

"He'd probably just be a nuisance to the other students and the chuunin sensei, anyway." Kakashi successfully sidestepped the second kick. The child fumed and looked about to jump off in a rage into the trees, but Ginzu easily snatched him mid-jump out of the air and returned the rascal to his side.

"I'll… keep hold of him for now, Kakashi-san. Ah, what were we talking about, exactly?"

"I believe I was in the middle of explaining myself for sending my foreign ninja into your country without forewarning."

"Right. Well, let's just forget about the matter for now. Much more important things to think about at the moment, and though you still need to sell Kegon, I'm perfectly sold on the alliance. Never did like the Akatsuki."

"I didn't say anything to convince you, yet, and I've outright been avoiding in answering questions, so you must've decided beforehand. Is it because of Kakuzu or your Jinchuuriki?"

"A little of both and mix in some personal issues. Wait! Was that actually Kakuzu? We'd thought maybe it was an impersonator of some sort."

"I fought him myself, and he wasn't easy enough to be pretending, that's for sure. Plus, he still talked like he was from Takigakure." Kakashi had to shove off Baajiru's latest attempts at retribution for who-knows-what, but it didn't disturb his speaking. "You sort of remind me of him."

"Is that a compliment or an insult."

"It's an observation, and we'll leave it to that. Though you also somewhat remind me of an ANBU back at Konoha… Morino Ibiki. Maybe it's because you two have similar girth, but you might take that as an insult."

"Why? Who is he?"

"Oh, he's the head of Torture and Interrogation."


	17. Interview

Disclaimer: Chapter 12. Promise.

I've been… _busy_. I have an audition to a philharmonic to prepare for. On the bright side, though, chapter 2 in the doujinshi is finally finished.  
Krazed: I've found that children are remarkably brilliant at doing what they aren't supposed to do. And yeah… poor Ginzu is sweating bullets.  
Kakarin fan: Thanks. Baajiru's animosity towards his father should become clear in the next few chapters (hopefully).  
Butterfly: Very perceptive prediction with Ginzu and the Akatsuki.  
EndDragon: Actually, I agree; I've made Kakashi a little chatty (and not just in this chapter). Didn't really hit me that I have been until drawing out chapter two.  
haley: Thank you. Luckily, Ginzu's whole purpose is to be a catalyst of drama.

* * *

"Wait… you _don't know_ who burned down your house?"

Rin sighed a way that said she must've sighed a thousand times before and stopped her jumps momentarily to face Yuugao. "It comes down to this: I know what the Dajare is, and they have nothing to do with any of this. The slavers were just roving through this area, since this area is a little fuzzy between country borders. My coming across their group was an unlucky fluke… or maybe a _lucky_ fluke, depending on how you look at things. But the Dajare don't deal with slavery."

Yuugao's brow furrowed while she balanced on the large tree branch they stopped on, knowing that she was being difficult and very uncomfortable with that fact. "And what makes you think the slavers didn't burn down your house to draw you out? They even had a fire type among them."

"They weren't seeking ninja to put into their cages; ninja are more trouble than they're worth to draw out for human traffickers. They merely came across me several days after I escaped from the house and captured me. I didn't _know_ that when they attacked, however. At the time, I had been convinced everything had to do with the Dajare, so I made sure Baajiru escaped."

"You _wouldn't_ have made sure he'd escape otherwise?"

"Hmmm…" They sensed the awkward air from the other teammates and launched off again. "Yuugao, I assume you don't have children yet, but since my son is only five years old, I'd much rather be able to keep track of him."

"And you're _sure_ that the Dajare have nothing to do with any of this? House included."

"No, I… To be honest, I have no idea why the house burned down. Or who did it. But, yes, I rather doubt the Dajare did it. At least, that's what I believe _now_."

"Why? And what are the Dajare? That name keeps getting thrown around."

Rin's expression turned pained, and as she set her eyes ahead with a stone stare. Conflict was clear; she didn't even bother to hide that she was holding something back. Finally she gave an answer that was obviously just a single answer, not the whole story, and with no intention of telling the whole story… "'Dajare' is just a code word thrown around within the group that held Kakashi and I in Matsubaran. They used the term to loosely describe their network, so they were mostly talking about higher-ups they needed to report to when they said it. It doesn't have an official name; standard for a clandestine operation. With how things have come about, I am _positive_ that they have nothing to do with this."

Yuugao frowned, on one hand understanding the sort of life Rin might've had to live these past six years could reasonably make her closemouthed. But she knew on the other hand that if she was to be brought back into Konoha, those six years would need to be dissected and negotiated by higher-ups to determine what status, if any, she would retain the village. Any secrets between her and the village wouldn't be tolerated, even more so because of the absence.

Oh, nevermind the hundreds of questions Kakashi-senpai would surely have!

"So… your son… is Kakashi-sensei's?" Sakura fell in beside Rin, and her question had enough hesitancy in her voice to flag the subject as one of cautious interest. Rin glanced at her.

"Yes. Am I to take that Kakashi is your jounin sensei?"

"Ah, yes."

"Is that why he sent you?"

Sakura found herself smiling. "He said that he sent us because he trusts us. I bet he'd send Naruto, too, if he wasn't in Kaminari no Kuni."

"Naruto, huh…" Rin's voice trailed off. If she had a thought on the name, she didn't voice it, instead putting a burst of chakra in her legs and pulled out ahead without a thought, as if acting from a protocol Sakura was unaware of. She landed hard on a log, and the dogs quickly reached her ankles while she scanned the surroundings.

The group paused and slowed to hang back as she searched, confused at the behavior. After a few moments, Rin seemed to have realized how odd she was acting, and she grinned almost bashfully at them. "Sorry about that. I'm so used to being alone."

.-.-.

"What's wrong with my reading Icha Icha?" Kakashi said defensively.

Ginzu buckled in his seat as he tried to stop his laughter. His hands up in surrender and his squared shoulders rose and fell with each chuckle he tried to contain. "Not a thing! I was just… ahaha… _commenting_ on how odd it is. I didn't expect you to be the sort to read something like that."

"'Something like that'," Kakashi threw back with a snort. He turned away in his chair with his book in hand, making a marginal effort to read it. "I don't see what's so funny about it. These are very good books, you know."

His guest was still grinning wide into his cheeks. "Most people aren't so proud about reading romance novels. And I didn't think you of all people would be so hostile on its behalf."

"They're good books!" The Copy Nin repeated peevishly. Ginzu resolved himself to his chuckles.

Meanwhile, during this illuminating and serious conversation between men, Baajiru was making himself busy messing with various odds and ends in Kakashi's office he almost certainly wasn't meant to touch. He didn't seem interested in talking about adult books, but his ear was still enough in the conversation to complicate it. "Ginzu-ojisan just thinks it's funny that Okaa-san lost the bet with the Hentai-ossan."

The rolling in Ginzu's shoulders stopped abruptly, but he retained a smile at his _de facto_ host. "…I'm sure Kakashi-san doesn't want to hear about expired gambles. I won't retell to explain; you weren't there so you wouldn't really find it so funny."

Kakashi's head cocked a little to the side, just enough to clue that he caught there was a lie of some sort, but he didn't care enough to press the issue. "Inside jokes are like that."

"Hmm. I should apologize again for imposing on you. You must be busy with other duties, and I'm sure you don't need a kid messing with your things. Perhaps we should take our leave and finish our discussion later?"

"You don't have to leave on my account. Talking to you gives me a good excuse to not do work, and an unpredicted child messing up the files makes the excuse that much better."

Regardless, Ginzu pulled up Baajiru from his latest overzealous curiosity by the scruff with one of his large hands. This earned a grousing frown from the child. "He said it was okay!"

"Perhaps, but we're about to jump head-first into a war, Baajiru. You should at least show a little respect to the man and his space."

Baajiru snorted and squirmed his way back to the ground. _"Why should I?"_

"…I shouldn't need to explain that, should I?" Ginzu frowned and shielded his anxiety with a stoic stare. "Besides, he's an important man."

"So? Lots of important men shouldn't be respected. How do you know he isn't a mass murderer? Or a drug dealer? Or a peter-file?"

"A pete—_Baajiru!_"

Kakashi snorted despite himself. "Where'd that kid learn such language?"

"I hesitate to wonder. But I'm not going to tolerate it, especially when he's already been running around unchaperoned. I'd better switch him within an inch of his life in the absence of his mother. She doesn't usually beat him, but I think this time she'd condone it."

Baajiru's mouth dropped open wide and his eyes bugged. "Nu uh! You're bluffing!"

"You really think so? Kakashi-san, would there happen to be a peach tree nearby?"

"Hn… Maybe not a peach tree, but I'm sure I could find something similar in the forests nearby."

Impish eyes grew wide and frightened. "But I didn't do anythin'!"

"You were being disrespectful!" Ginzu barked back. "What have I been saying this whole time about respecting others? And _don't_ think I wouldn't do it just because your mother isn't here! Or would you rather I told her when we see her so _she_ can do it instead?"

"…No." His worried face fell into a pout. He looked pitiable and absolutely miserable. Kakashi bit his lip under his mask to keep from laughing.

"Then apologize to Kakashi-san." He crossed his arms and stared hard down at the child, inwardly glad that disciplinary speech had such a good effect; he actually _was_ bluffing, and he suspected Kakashi was just playing along.

Baajiru's mouth twisted in an indignant frown, and he glared sideways at Kakashi with heat rising up his face and into his eyes. He was looking mottled and blotchy from the embarrassment, and very much like he was about to burst into angry tears. But, he swallowed it and muttered a few low words. Kakashi leaned forward.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear that," he said with deadpan tone. Actually, his ears were more than good enough to make out any little noise the small body could possibly make, but the point needed to be driven home, didn't it?

"…I said I'm sorry I called you a peter-file."

Kakashi regarded him with a serious expression, still with a smirk under his mask at the whole situation and so very tempted to laugh out loud. That wasn't _exactly_ what he was supposed to apologize for… "Do you even know what a pedophile is?"

"…Not really. Just that it's something bad."

"Well, it's not something you should accuse someone of when you don't know what it means. You understand?"

"…Yes, sir…"

_Maybe he's a cute kid, after all._ "Good. I accept your apology, and don't worry; I won't tell your mother. I don't want to bully a kid, and it sounds like she can be a fearsome woman."

Ginzu cocked a brow at the comment and found he couldn't hold back his grin. "You know, she says she used to be a nice, shy girl."

"All women say that."

"Maybe they do." Ginzu laughed and rose. "Let me go get my companion; you need to talk to him more than you should to me. Could you keep the hellion on a leash while I gather him? Kegon is already in an uncharacteristically bad mood and I don't want an anklebiter making him surlier."

"Ginzu-ojisan! You're not supposed to leave children with strangers and peter-files!...Ow ow ow ow!"

Kakashi released the dyed hair and allowed Baajiru to fall back to the floor. "Lying _and_ disrespect. _Now_ I'm going to tell your mother."

.-.-.

The three humans let Rin have her space as they traveled, as much as curiosity might gnaw on some of them to ask questions on every point of these past six years. Yuugao was subdued by wishing not to press any matters that Rin might not wish to relive, Sakura was oddly intimidated by this older kunoichi and what she represented—a generation before her own, accented by the fact that when she had left the village, Sakura was still in the academy learning basic jutsu. Sai insisted it on himself to strike conversation with Rin, but she didn't react as normal people did to his social gaffs. Like many ANBU and former ANBU that were not part of Root, she looked at him blankly and talked to him almost mechanically as if he were only an agent on a mission. It was almost as if she didn't think of him as a _person_, and though she wasn't being offensive and was being patient with any of his faux pas, he came to not like talking with her.

But Pakkun and Shiba were not nearly so passive. They immediately circled her ankles whenever she stopped during travel, and, when the group was in rest, it was as if the universe abhorred an empty lap, as long as that lap was Rin's.

Shiba was the one reclined over her now, snoring away despite that they'd be on the move again soon. Pakkun made due with taking over an ankle.

"Rin," he intoned with a low voice, "We all missed you very much."

"Of course, Pakkun. I missed all of you, too."

"You don't understand; I mean _all of us_. I mean Kakashi, too."

"Mm, I expected him to miss me. I missed him so much."

Pakkun laid a head on Shiba's rising and falling belly and looked up at her with his own doleful eyes. "He wouldn't talk about you, but we could tell when he thought about you. He looked sad; he smelled sad. It took him a long time to adjust to not having you around."

Rin frowned and stroked his head, another hand absently scratching between Shiba's shoulder blade and neck.

"Rin," he continued, "It took a lot of work for him to move on. How about you? Did you move on? Did it take long for you?"

She took a calm breath, eyes closing and opening a little too slowly to be considered a blink. "I didn't exactly have a choice. I moved on as quickly as I had to. My whole life changed, and I had to adjust to that."

"Did you change loyalties?" he asked matter-of-factly, but despite his tone, Rin jerked with offense.

"What? No! Of course not! Why would you think that? Just because I haven't been in Konoha these past years doesn't mean I've defected! I fought for Konoha and for Hi no Kuni in the war, and so many people important to me did the same, fought and died for it. Did you think I was working with Takigakure since I was living so close to it?"

Pakkun groaned a rumbling growl in his throat to indicate he was being misunderstood. "Loyalties with Kakashi, I meant."

"What do you mean by that?" She felt awash wish confusion; their relationship was more amorphous before they were captured at Matsubaran-zan. The words "I love you" were never uttered between them before then; that situation brought those words and feelings out in the open. But, she supposed, Kakashi might have mentioned their marriage to the ninken. "Are you asking if I've slept with other men these past six years?" She didn't have to look down at him to feel him shrug.

"If that's important to the question, I suppose."

"…Then I'm afraid I don't understand the question, Pakkun."

"He was wounded, but he didn't pick at the wound or fuss with it. And he didn't show the wound or try to treat it. He just kept it covered and waited for it to heal over time, because you always healed him before."

"You're not making this any clearer."

"He isn't physically wounded, but he _smells_ wounded. He smells like when he's remembering you. He smells like he always did when he waited for you to heal him." He paused to let her respond, but she only looked down at her (occupied) lap with contemplation. "So is it the same for you? If he had known you were alive, he'd have done something. You knew he was alive, but he didn't you were. And you've... started your own _pack_ since then, haven't you? Your child and that Takigakure ninja?"

A sad smile turned her lips and she scratched behind Pakkun's ear. "It'll be easier for you to see when you meet Baajiru."

"Rin, are you ready to continue?" Yuugao called, Sakura and Sai packing up their lunches and standing beside her. "We have to start off again soon if we want to make any more time before nightfall."

"Ah, we are." Rin's smile turned more broad and cheerful, and she rubbed Shiba's stomach vigorously. He flipped up onto his haunches, instantly awake, and stood with only a yawn. He accepted a good-natured pat on his head instead of an explanation and trailed after her as she rose to join the others. And when she bashfully asked Yuugao what'd happened since she'd left Konoha, Shiba showed he missed the previous conversation when he barked to Pakkun that everything was starting to feel a lot more familiar, now.

.-.-.

That was disappointing, to put it in a word.

Kakashi had once previously come to the conclusion that he just didn't like kids. They were all bratty and selfish and pretty much everything he hated about himself and his peers when he looked back at his own childhood. This was a notion he had held through until his team of genin finally won through the purpose of his bell test and used the time as his students to slowly change his mind. After they grew on him, he almost found them, well, _cute,_ which brought him a little bit of disappointment after seeing how they aged in three years. They were becoming serious adults far too quickly.

Baajiru put his opinion of children back a good four years with the haphazard, self-righteous ease that he hadn't quite outgrown yet. At first, he was intensely curious; he looked about the same age as the son _he_ was supposed to have, and was the child of a single mother to boot. There could be some knowledge gained here, some reference point to prepare himself on. Ginzu was taking his time in fetching his partner, so Kakashi took this chance to try to ask the boy on his outlook, hoping to gain some insight on his own son.

The conversation was uncomfortable at the best of times, and at the worst Kakashi was sorely tempted to throw him out of his office for being so purposefully hostile and offensive to him. Instead, he just kept throwing the abuse right back at him, each comment responded with his own sarcasm. The jounin couldn't help but be reminded of every kid that tried playing that game of ridicule with him as a result, from the dozen or so students he'd failed on the genin test to Rin's little brother that never seemed to accept him. But, in earnest, this wasn't really all Baajiru's fault that Kakashi came out a little disillusioned from the talk.

"So, do you ever wish your father was around?" Simple enough question, Kakashi had thought; he even tried to lead up to it in a natural fashion. The way those words made the kid glare at him with mistrust should have clued him to not pursue that line of questioning.

"Lots of kids don't have dads," Baajiru spat.

"Oh, I understand that much. I wasn't much older than you when my father died."

"Yeah, so what?" the kid grumbled.

Kakashi feigned detachment, but he was already frowning. "Most boys prefer to have someone to look up to in their family. Someone their own gender, to relate with and aspire to."

"I don't need a dad for that. Lots of dads aren't good for that, anyway."

"What do you mean?"

Baajiru's surly face curdled more and he jumped out of his chair. "A bunch of kids at school don't have dads. And they don't need them, either. Some of them are better that way."

"Is that so?" Kakashi leaned forward with interest. "And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"Because some of them made their moms cry," Baajiru said hotly. "Sometimes they hit them. Sometimes they yell at them. Everything gets better when they leave."

"I-I see..." How jaded for a five-year-old.

"A few of them get new dads. Not real dads but just as good. Even better. But other times they're worse. But the moms aren't very strong when they're worse, and _my_ mom is _very strong_."

"Did your dad abuse your mom?"

Baajiru sneered and looked away without answer. After an awkward silence, he forced himself to look interested in something else as to not look at Kakashi, but he did mutter something under his breath Kakashi certainly wasn't meant to pick up.

_"Why can't Ginzu-ojisan just be my dad?"_

Fear wasn't as normal a thing for Kakashi these past few years, and he didn't like discovering a new cowardice in himself. When Ginzu finally appeared with his comrade, apologies pouring, the ANBU leader merely passed him the nephew and, with his eye smiling as fake a smile as someone could master with their mouths, said he was too tired and offered to talk in the morning.

It took Kegon to remind him in a passing—but nonetheless ominous—comment that he'd better not wake up too late lest he miss the war.


	18. Faces

Disclaimer: Chapter 9.

Sorry for the delay. I'm not trying to stay with the manga… honest. But when your writing slows down and the manga continues, it's hard _not_ to try to stay with the canon for the time being.  
Butterfly: Pakkun is fun to write; dog mentality is so separate from human. "Irony" will explain the whole situation with Kakashi and his "family". Irony thick enough to cut through, trust me.  
kenjutsumaster: To be honest, he is planned sometime in the future, but I can't really say when he's going to come in. After all, his closeness to Jiraiya gives a small plot point soon.  
Noodle: Thank you, and I'm very glad that you like my OCs; I know they aren't what people read fics for, so if people like them rather than get annoyed by them, it reflects well!  
Thank you all for the compliments and reviews! I do appreciate them muchly.

* * *

The leader of the Konohagakure ANBU did not sleep well that night. Every voiceless sound and passing shadow was an enemy ninja, and this startled him awake time after time until he was able to determine what the source was and convince himself to close his eye again. From time to time, someone would pass by in the hall. This didn't wake him as often, and male voices never did, but _female_ voices...

"Mhn... Rin?" he sat up groggily a few times mumbling and trying to figure out if the voice was hers. Eventually in this state, Kakashi realized that despite the three months he had spent with Rin's voice as his world the years afterward have made it so he couldn't recall it. A depressing thought, made all the more depressing when he realized he couldn't even remember her face, anymore. All he could really remember was the color of her hair and the purple tattoos… he probably couldn't even say how her tattoos were pointing with complete confidence.

"Did they point towards the nose?" he wondered, "Or am I just thinking that because that blue mess scrawled on that kid's face leaned vaguely in that direction? Ugh, damnit. I hope Rin doesn't get offended if I don't recognize her immediately..."

He finally did get to sleep eventually, but all these thoughts of his old teammate fueled the comeback of a reoccurring dream.

In the dream, he would be in his cell in Matsubaran-zan, laying on a thin blanket with Rin in his arms as he had the day before they were "released". Despite the gloomy backdrop, these dreams were rarely nightmares; even one where he and Rin were forgotten and starved to death together he never considered a nightmare. He had that one just a couple years ago, right after Naruto left Konoha, and Tsunade complained about his behavior all the following week, commenting that he looked like "an old man who knew his day".

The dream he had tonight wasn't a nightmare, either, but Kakashi woke up when the cell door opened and light hit his face and he found himself in the scattered light of rosy dawn. He grimaced and tried to force his eyes closed again, since he was still far too groggy to admit defeat and pull out of bed, but the blackness and quiet of the dream magnified every light and sound of the waking world, and he turned in his futon a few times in attempt to escape into sleep again. After about a half hour, he gave up and stared at the ceiling instead, trying to sort out his fatigue-hazed thoughts.

There had been a puzzle that had been bugging him since Tsunade revealed everything to him eventually came up: the mission in Choukawa. Firstly, the mission didn't strike him as particularly relevant to… anything about his imprisonment, really. They might've interrogated him about it,but he couldn't put any connection between it and Rin having a god-child. Secondly, Tsunade had said it had to do with the medical treatments Rin had done while there. It struck him odd later that Tsunade described it as "some sort of illness" when telling him about it. Being a medical ninja herself, she certainly would have at least checked that much out and defined that Rin had been treating a virus outbreak which left many women of childbearing age in the area with cervical cancer. Were the records incomplete on that for some reason, or was she trying to be vague? He'd have to look into the ANBU and Root records again later to see if the complete report was there whenever he had the chance.

As he remembered, the mission was simple enough: go to the town of Choukawa and investigate why so many women in that town were getting sick. Their team was picked mostly for Rin's expertise, and though Kakashi was still the captain, she had been the one issuing most of the orders that time, and she even had to file a separate report. It took little time for Rin to determine that the women were all in different stages of developing cervical cancer, and since some of them were rather advanced, she had to start in surgeries immediately, not leaving her much time at first to see what sorts of environmental changes might have caused this sudden flux. As a result, the mission dragged on a while, the rest of them lacking proper insight while they tried to investigate the problem within the village as she worked.

When she was finally caught up with as much as she could do up front, Rin took little time to determine that looking within the village was the wrong method, saying that the water had the virus which these women had in their blood, and that this waterborne disease had to have been coming in from further up into the mountains, where the stream they'd been relying on for water was flowing down from.

He had an argument with Rin, then. She wanted to split up and search, but he wanted them to stay together since Rin was the only one that had the medical knowledge.

Rin tilted her head at him, unable to indicate the question otherwise with her ANBU mask on."It's only finding origin of water, which has more to do with going vertical and simple topography than medical knowledge."

"I'd feel better knowing our medic was at hand, when the stream is found."

"_Taichou_," The inflection she used told him that she was speaking to him as Kakashi and not him as ANBU captain, which she would only do when disagreeing with his orders, "We most likely have to cover a lot of surface area, considering the size of these mountains. We've already had to waste a lot of time on my behalf."

Kakashi had to repress a sigh, not because she had a point, but because she was doing this, as far as he could tell, because she didn't like him hovering over her shoulder and acting as protector. It was a long, ongoing argument that the two had between them ever since Obito had died, whether or not Kakashi was trying too much to be an overprotective big brother, and though it never seemed resolved, they had learned compromises whenever it came up, sometimes even forcing those compromises on their own side. In this case, Kakashi knew Rin had manipulated the argument in her favor, so he was forced to concede and order the group to split up.

It was getting dark and near time to rendezvous for the night when he felt the first tremor. His heart leapt into his chest and he went still, hoping that what he felt didn't happen, or that it wasn't from an earth jutsu as his training so quickly told him. With the second tremor, he sprinted off into the direction of its origin, where he could feel a flare of familiar chakra in the distance. When he realized during his approach that Rin was inside the mountain—in some sort of cavern—he ran in, his mind in a panic.

The earth jutsu used looked to be fairly centralized, since really the only disturbance underground was continued occasional shakes and some dust fall, nothing getting dislodged in the periphery. That was a good sign, at least, but the shakes seemed to have been getting more and more violent, and he grew more anxious.

He burst out to a chamber with some ground water running through. Rin was faced away from Kakashi towards someone lodged under several rocks.

"Are you okay? What happened?" He approached her first, worry creasing his face under the porcelain mask as he was able to smell blood.

"I'm okay, but I'm afraid he isn't. My attempts to get him out… it only made things worse."

This time he took a good look. It was an unconscious man, and he looked pretty severely injured… blood everywhere, and his face… Wait, it looked like he had deformities. And he didn't look young, either. The amount of rubble on top of him might kill him if he isn't excavated quickly. "What…?"

"He told me he's a hermit in the mountains, and he'd been crippled and stuck in this cavern for a while. I tried to get him out, but it's no use… I'm sure, though, he's the cause of the outbreak."

"How do you figure to that?"

"These tumors on his face… I've seen them before in a medical textbook. Most certainly it's an advanced version that's affecting his bones and organs since… oh, he's waking." Rin carefully jumped to his side.

"Men his age shouldn't be in the mountains so long, especially in such a condition."

"That's the thing, Kakashi; he's a hermit. Like Jiraiya-sama. Except… much older than Jiraiya-sama. I don't know how, but if he was speaking the truth earlier, he's well over a hundred years old. Getting medical attention for the tumors is probably against his oaths."

When Rin leaned forward, the old man's eyes widened in panic, perhaps realizing the situation he was in, and his mouth started trying to work. He was attempting to cough out some words, and he started to struggle. Rin shushed him, encouraged him to calm down, but he only struggled more and tried to shout out. Kakashi saw her run a couple fingers over his pulse to check his vitals, then she looked up at Kakashi and shook her head. Shortly after that, he started coughing up blood, but with the help of Rin's healing jutsu, was at least able spend his last moments without pain.

When the body was properly disposed of away from the water, and the villagers put on boil-water alert for about a week, the team stayed only long enough to ensure that the health threat to the town was taken care of. He didn't go anywhere near the mountains during the remaining time if he could help it, preferring to order someone else if something needed to be checked, merely because memories of Obito had been dredged up and he didn't want them affecting his productivity.

The mission was only notable to Kakashi because of the old man's death, since the rest of the mission was a standard response mission to epidemics within the country. The disease was waterborne and they had a knowledgeable medic-nin on the team, so there were no infections recorded, and the only wound that was had was a scratch Rin had already bandaged up she had gotten from some jutting rocks in the caverns. No attacks on the road, no problems... Rin seemed to think it was a personal failure that she ended up killing the old man rather than saving him, but Kakashi reminded her that the man was ill and likely close to death anyway.

So was the old man the key? He couldn't remember most of his interrogation in Matsubaran-zan, but the old man was the most unusual aspect of the mission. An old hermit carrying a carcinogenic virus seemed more unfortunate than anything. There was no telling if he was really over a hundred years old—there was a good chance he was delirious by the time Rin found him—but if he was, that might be a clue. If it was, there were a lot more pieces to this puzzle than he thought, because there wasn't a _direct_ correlation between that mission and birthing a ninja immune to chakra burnout, even if there might've been hints.

It was hours past dawn, and Kakashi couldn't get away with laying around anymore. He sulked out, received word that Amegakure representatives have been delayed due to internal issues, and sauntered off between dozens of white, painted masks to the chair of his assigned position. Funny, even though he couldn't remember her face, he could remember Rin's ANBU mask pretty well at the moment.

.-.-.

Nadeshiko immediately declared that the funeral for Konan would have all the honors of a war hero, because that's what Konan was and the village leader would have no less. As the fire floated ashes of paper flowers into the air, the new village leader stood straight and solemn before the large funeral pyre, having given the first state eulogy she was ever obligated to do, and fully aware this was just the first of many.

The leader was surprised that she didn't break down during the speech as memories of everyone else she'd lost so far crashed down on her. After all, Nadeshiko hadn't stood on steady ground in—literally—years, and here she was facing those crippling insecurities head on. Here she was, pretending to be a pillar of strength, a foundation for an era of cooperation against a common enemy, and a whole slew of other things no one should have considered her qualified for if they had any sense of who she was.

She was so close that the heat from the fire felt to be tanning her face, and her cheeks felt tight against the bone with pressure. Through the orange licks, she saw hundreds of ninja, belonging of both factions not a month before, now all under one banner and wearing the same unmarked hitai-ate of their village. And she felt that, even the ones who would've cursed Konan and spit in her path not long ago, the ones she had considered the only Ame-nin not long ago, were mourning. Not necessarily because they had forgiven Konan, but because her death meant something much larger for the village.

She wouldn't say they got along, even though they made it a point to work together for the village. Neither had been prepared to forgive the other for their past misgivings, and there was never going to be a time they would truly call each other "friend". The rain might wash blood away, but that blood sat there too long and stained a distinct line between them. And yet, Nadeshiko still wanted Konan to succeed in her mission—truly and earnestly, for it was by their combined efforts they were able to prepare so many explosive tags and batter through simulation after simulation of kage no bunshin in Madara's shape that they had gotten so far. But there was some ease that the defeat wasn't a black mark on the morale to the village. Indeed, with the things worked out, it only strengthened their resolve.

The trip to Hi no Kuni would be delayed, but they wouldn't need to send an ambassador to consider joining anymore; she had already decided to go herself and join in the fight, because what the Akatsuki had become was a falsehood, a blight, and a national threat. Their village had to go forward, and the only way they could do that is to make their mark against the representation of their woes and civil strife.

Though the silence after her speech had been a long one, no one seemed jarred when she spoke up again. "It hadn't been our custom for a long time to burn our fallen in flames, but we can longer afford to save our dead as weapons when those very weapons are being stolen right from our palms. Madara has taken the Rinnegan, the very weapon that Konan had preserved among peaceful flowers of paper. The Rinnegan had belonged to Nagato, who, after all was said and done, was one of us as a ninja of Ame. The treacherous enemy of Madara, whose machinations had changed the meaning behind the Akatsuki of Ame, who has taken the body of a man who would have—should have—been a true hero, who has taken a great and powerful treasure from us, is our enemy. This is a war.

"But war has a price, even wars of necessity. The Akatsuki all suffered from that price, eventually. Hanzou himself suffered. With all my own war crimes, with all the lives I've taken and ruined, I would have suspected myself to have died, and, someday, my deserved end will catch up with me. But now, we stand before flames, watching cinder and black flakes float up as the recumbent form of their hero disappears with her crumbling flowers, and we could only hope that we should get that _honor_, because dying means _we took a stand._

"The dead list heroes, and the angel Konan will not be our last hero. But war will not leave time for the funerals of our heroes, so when these purifying flames die down, may the rain wash away the remaining soot before we march forward."

.-.-.

"This is a disaster," a Rock-nin grumbled while in the scramble of relocating so many sensitive files with the attack at the previous location. A regroup to this location, where the official central command between the five countries was, was pre-agreed, and there was a tentative skeleton of a plan in case they needed to evacuate their previous location between the heads convening in intelligence, but with all the work they already had to work through, actually allotting proper formations and duties never happened.

Zetsu from the Akatsuki had somehow infiltrated the previous base of allied operations, and between the spores and the general hectic nature of a still-settling organization, it was quickly and thoroughly razed by the better fighters there while anything that needed to be kept was pulled away for relocation. With how things ended up, Ginzu ended up fighting by Kakashi's side while the two of them did their best to keep Baajiru out of battle (a nearly impossible feat; Baajiru was well on his way in mastering how to become a regular Schrödinger's cat). Luckily enough, Ginzu's heavy use of hand-to-hand meshed well with Kakashi, who was quite used to fighting alongside the likes of Gai. They were able to clear through remarkably quickly, even with the excited child they were dragging behind them.

Right now, the two men were taking a breath and binding their wounds, silently agreeing with the harried Rock-nin that was passing by where they sat on the floor. Baajiru examined the new place with large, fascinated eyes, not paying any heed to the adults, which was fine because the adults were too tired at the moment to berate him for wandering around.

"That team you sent out…" Ginzu started, "I hope they can find out that the base has changed. I'd hate them to get to the previous location and find it razed to the ground."

"Wouldn't that be some misunderstanding? But no, I'd already made sure a message would get to the captain. It's possible they could get here before we did, depending on their position in the route." Kakashi sighed and ran a hand through his white hair. "Seems like a lot of building destruction happening here lately. Pein destroys Konoha, someone destroys that kid's house, Akatsuki attacks our base so we torch it to make sure nothing gets out. I forgot how much collateral damage a war entails."

"Hah, you could forget something like that? Wasn't that a good portion of Konoha fighting Iwa? Crumbled buildings and such? Didn't you personally destroy a bridge?"

Kakashi raised his brow and looked over at Ginzu. His expression looked blank, but he was actually astonished. "Yes, Kannabi Bridge. I lost a teammate there. You know about that mission?"

"Er… well, yes, something about it, I guess. That battle was the turning point in the war, wasn't it? Since it cut off supplies for Iwagakure, right?"

"I suppose it was… I just didn't expect someone to know that sort of detail."

"Ginzu-ojisan!" Baajiru bounded up. "I never saw so many ninja in one place! And they all look different!" He pointed at one of the heavily armored men from Iron. "Look!"

"That man isn't a ninja. He's a samurai," he responded matter-of-factly.

"Waah! Really? I never saw a samurai before! Do they use jutsu, too?"

"I don't know about that, but they know how to use chakra. Ah!" He grabbed the child by the collar. "Don't go bothering him about it! Everyone here is very busy with reorganizing! And they're edgy… not only was our base attacked, but when we got here, two of the Kage had just left for something of great importance. You can't go running around bugging people."  
Baajiru pouted at Ginzu, then seemed to forget the offense and sat in front of his proclaimed uncle. "Ginzu-ojisan, can I ask you a question, then?"

"Of course."

"Is it okay for me to be worried about Okaa-san? 'Cause I'm trying not to be, but I'm really, _really _worried and I don't want her to be angry."

"Wha… why of course it's okay to be worried, Baajiru. It's only natural to be worried about your mother."

"But you're sure she's going to be all right."

"Yes, I am. I already know there's a team looking for her, and I'm sure they'll find her if they haven't already. You don't need to worry, but its okay to worry about her. This is the first time anything dangerous has really affected you, so there's no reason you should be ashamed of being scared or worried."

"I wouldn't worry," Kakashi cut in, "If your mother has half of your energy and spite, she'd survive the apocalypse."

Baajiru glared at Kakashi and huffed. "Okaa-san isn't coming here, right Ginzu-ojisan?"

Ginzu chose his words carefully. "…She might. After all, her son is _here_… rather than at my great-aunt's house where you were no doubt told to go to by your mother."

"I hate that old bag! Why would I go to her when Okaa-san is in trouble?"

"Baaji—" Ginzu didn't have a chance to berate the child before he ran off to look at a ninja practicing high-level jutsu in the yard. He shook his head. "Tch. That kid."

"Your great-aunt usually watches him, huh?" Kakashi asked. Man, how long ago was it that he actually had to learn how to small talk? Now with this damned position he had to do it all the time. At least this Ginzu fellow made for good practice.

"Yeah, since his mother has to work sometimes, and I'm always on missions. She's the only one that I know who could do it, since she's the only civilian I know. And the last blood relative I have."

"Really? So it must be painful for you that Baajiru feels so little for her."

"Not really…" Ginzu leaned forward onto his hands, elbows propped up on his crossed legs. "She _is_ an old bag, bitter and cantankerous, and I'm sure no one will miss her when she finally kicks the bucket." Kakashi snorted, and they both started to chuckle a little. "So I'm not surprised that he resents her, and I'd even bet her sore attitude is where that kid gets so much of his negativity from. Still, Baajiru has to learn to respect his elders."

"He seems to respect you and his mother."

"Luck of the draw, that. Even with us he only actually _listens_ half of the time."

Baajiru was leaning over the railing so far that he looked like he'd topple over it at any time. The two men were debating getting up and pulling him off when he gave a great shout and looked over at them with a wide smile, all traces of his previous anger and suspicion gone.

"Ginzu-ojisan! You're right! Okaa-san is here!"


	19. News

Disclaimer: Chapter 4.

I'm proud of you guys. None of my reviewers seem to have outright fallen for the "Kakashi will talk to Rin next chapter" trap. Good job, good job.  
princessmaremare: That's interesting, because I was under the impression from a lot of people that this story was a bit "tl;dr" for them. But it does make me happy that there are those that feel differently. Thank you.  
Butterfly: Okay, maybe not that ironic... exactly. But we'll get there. I'm glad Nadeshiko's speech can bring such inspiration to my readers, certainly. Thank you muchly.  
Krazed: You've got it right, there; Ginzu doesn't want to get in trouble, but he doesn't want to block Kakashi from what he views as his rights. Thank you for so many compliments (and reviews! I appreciate that you go through the trouble!).  
Pickle: Bwahahahahahahahaha. You aren't the first to make that observation to be honest. Nah, as much as I enjoy screwing with people, I just chose that word because it had a good rhythm. It was entirely unintentional that "masturbation" also has a good rhythm. (That one's on purpose.)

* * *

Baajiru looked ecstatic from where he was perched on the railing, smiling down at his mother. It was obvious that he must've missed her greatly in the interim time, and he had the sweetest (genuine) expression that his little face could muster in seeing her that his previously brattish behavior was all but forgotten by the two men. But as they both approached—Ginzu from similar excitement and Kakashi from pure curiosity—Baajiru's smile disappeared and Kakashi found himself tackled backwards by the five-year-old.

"No! You don't get to see her!" The child hissed.

"You... why?"

"Because!"

"I just wanted to see what sort of woman could put up with having a child like you."

"I don't care! You don't get to see Okaa-san!"

Ginzu sighed and chose to look over the railing and ignore the argument. Sure enough, Rin was there, walking with the Konoha girl he'd met in Taki and her two teammates. Three dogs were running up ahead of them. Wait... weren't there only two dogs? Ah, then again, Kakashi said earlier that he sent word to his team to meet here. He probably sent the notice via summoned hound. Yes, this should ultimately be a relief; Rin was safe, and would soon be reunited with the rest of her family. She deserved that much.

"I'm going to go ahead and take Baajiru down to his mother," Ginzu turned back to the wrestling pair, finding himself having to contain a chuckle at the sight and crossed his arms. "She must be worried. You... should come down with us."

Kakashi rose and dusted off his uniform. "I'm not really so interested as to intrude on personal matters..."

"You wouldn't be intruding."

"...And besides, I have plenty of work to do with this relocation. Perhaps some other time." He was already walking away to his next destination.

Ginzu kept back a sigh. "I understand. Come on, Baajiru, let's go... oi!"

Baajiru had returned to where he was leaning over before and was grinning ear to ear again. "Okaa-san! Okaa-san, up here!"

Rin's eyes shot up with hearing her son's call. "...Baajiru?"

The others stopped. "What is it?" Yuugao asked.

Not much more time was allowed for questioning, because Baajiru had lept off from the railing. This was followed by panic by several people, like Ginzu who was nearby and quickly tried to catch Baajiru before he could fall, but was a half-second late and a half-second later felt someone else trying the same thing bump into his back. Rin screeched and ran up to make sure she was in position to catch the child. She jumped, caught him in the air, and landed near the other side of the yard, right next to the building Baajiru had jumped from.

Her eyes were wide and her limbs were shaking. "_Baajiru!_ Never do anything like that again! You scared the life right out of me!"

Ginzu breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see that Kakashi was the one right behind him, looking quite, well, worried, in as far as one eye can show.

"That kid okay?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, his mom managed to catch him. He's fine. I'm... surprised you're this worried."

Kakashi's head tilted and his brow creased. "Of course I'm worried! Just because that kid's a bit of a brat doesn't mean I want him to fall to his death."

Ginzu's smile got wider. "I should get down there as well."

"Ah, right. Aren't you going to leap down as well? It's quicker, and you're a ninja, after all."

"And encourage a bad precedent like that? His mother would have my head."

"Hn. Good point."

.-.-.

"Okaa-san!" Baajiru crowed, "You're okay! I was worried!"

"_You_ were worried?" Rin squealed incredulously and squeezed him against her, "I'm just glad you're okay! Have these past few days been hard for you?"

"No, Okaa-san. I found Ginzu-ojisan so everything is okay."

The others looked awkwardly at the scene. Most of the people that were there for official business otherwise opted to ignore it and get back to work; the moment of panic was over, after all. The team with Rin, however, shuffled and looked to each other for guidance on what to do.

"So..." Sakura looked at Yuugao, "I guess that's Rin-san's and Kakashi-sensei's son?"

"Appears so," Yuugao answered, acting about as baffled as she was.

Sakura took a good look at Baajiru. "Well, the markings are sort of like Rin-san's... but that hair..."

"Yeah, I was wondering that, too..."

"Hmm?" Rin pulled Baajiru back and took a good look at him for the first time. "...Baajiru, did you get blue greasepaint all over yourself again?"

"No. Permanent marker and hair-spray-stuff. I got it in a town that..."

"_Permanent marker!_ You stained that face of yours with _permanent marker?_" Rin licked a thumb and started trying to rub off one of the blue scrawls.

"Ewww! Okaa-san, that's gross! Don't rub spit on me!"

She inspected it. "Damn, it sure isn't coming off. Young man, we're going to get you washed up immediately!"

"Huh? But..."

"No 'but's!" Rin turned to Yuugao and smiled sweetly. "Do you happen to know where there's a washroom in this place?"

"Ahah, I'm sure we could find one."

.-.-.

Kakashi was at the door of his (new) office when barks echoed to surround him. He stopped dead in his tracks and watched as three dogs—Pakkun, Shiba, and Guruko—ran up, yipping and panting with bright eyes and not a trace of the exhaustion they almost certainly felt.

He turned, noticing that his own pulse already took some leaps even though he was only leaning down a bit. "What news did you bring?"

They scratched to a halt before him and sat in proper form, still panting.

"We brought her!"

"Rin's here!"

"I can't believe she's really alive!"

The ninja raised a hand to signal for them to calm down (was it shaking?). "Slow down. You say you brought Rin here? Where is she right now?"

Pakkun played mediator. "The whole team just came in a bit ago. We separated when we picked up where you were and ran out ahead somewhere in the court yard of this place, so pretty much as soon as we got here."

"Sakura, Yuugao, and Sai are all with her right now!" Shiba chirped, not paying mind to Pakkun's lazy glare.

"Good. And... you say you separated in the courtyard not too long ago?"

"That's right," Pakkun answered. "Why? Something important about that? She probably isn't there now if that's what you're wondering."

"No, I... I was just thinking of something that… might be related."

.-.-.

Ginzu might've been making a few goofs lately—mixing up his diplomatic use of his mental farley file with information acquired via torture and other suspicious gathering (i.e. talking to the subject's "dead wife")—so he took more care in approaching Rin. He watched from a distance, made sure that the team Kakashi had assigned to find her separated when she was directed to a washroom, and snuck in long after anyone held any interest on the door.

Inside was a freshly-washed Rin in a yukata, trying to press her son into taking his turn to wash.

"I'm glad to see that you're safe."

"Hmm? Oh, it's been a unique week, but it's not the worst that's ever happened. Even if circumstances look a little...queer... some random slavers certainly won't do me in."

"Slavers burned down your house?"

"Not exactly. I'll explain everything later." She smiled at him from where she was hassling Baajiru to get himself into the bath. "I heard you had some trouble."

"From your son? Or from the people that attacked the other base?"

"Take the one you want to talk about."

"In that case, I'd rather talk about something else with you. Kakashi is here, you know. I've already spoken to him, myself. He almost saw you when Baajiru did his acrobatics earlier."

Rin jolted and froze. She looked... alarmed. "...You did? What did you say to him?"

"Baajiru was there for most of it, so I couldn't tell him about you. The kid wouldn't let me. But I'm sure he's anxious to see you if he sent those ninja out ahead, and other people that've been working with him has commented on his unusual behavior."

"Yes... That group he sent said the same thing... and said that they met you."

"Rin, what's wrong? I can understand being nervous about this, but it honestly seems like you're genuinely afraid to meet Kakashi again."

Baajiru had halted his progression and gave keen interest in the conversation. Rin was merely silent for a long while before she opened her mouth. "I don't think I'm ready to see him, yet."

"_What?_"

"Ginzu, I've been gone so long... and during the trip here, I just realized just how different the years have been between Kakashi and I. I... I can't just go up to him. Not right now. I need to... to prepare. I need to think things through, first."

He looked on her sternly, then shook his head. "That just smacks of excuses. You realize that."

"I'm serious! Kakashi, he... I hadn't really thought of it that way, but even though I worried sometimes in the past six years... Kakashi thought I was _dead_. _End point_. And now he knows I'm _not_ dead. It's really affected him. I just need some time... time to think."

"Hmm," Ginzu made a low, serious growl to himself. "All right, and just how much time do you think you need?"

"I don't know... a day or two, perhaps. Then... then I'll definitely go see him. Baajiru! Get in there and get your butt cleaned, pronto! You hear me?"

"Rin, _listen_ to me. There's _no_ way you'll get that time. Kakashi knows you're back by now, if not from his summons, then from the team he sent to retrieve you. I'm honestly surprised he isn't already knocking on this door."

Rin fell silent and twisted her lips. She knew he was right; she there's no way she could delay it any longer, but, damnit, she was scared. Seeing Kakashi again was an inevitability, one that she hadn't actually come to terms with.

"…Rin?"

"I'll manage meeting Kakashi and explaining everything to him. Don't worry. Now, you should probably get out of here and back to your actual mission."

"That's a good idea." Ginzu didn't exactly fancy being caught in the bathroom with Rin, anyway. He had a few too many near-misses lately with this ridiculous situation as it was.

.-.-.

"News just came from Lightning."

In minutes, the whole complex was in an uproar. Good News, Bad News. The Good News was that, though the island had been discovered, the Tsuchikage successfully arrived in time to head off the Akatsuki and keep the enemy from reaching the jinchuuriki. The Bad News was that the person sent there to keep Naruto guarded, Yamato, had been captured by the enemy. Not only was Yamato's capture a severe blow to the security of Leaf—if not the entire alliance—but the fact that he was one of the Konoha ANBU's own, and one with the abilities of their Shodaime, was a blow to morale.

Kakashi _wanted_ to go find Rin. He had an easier time putting away brand-new, freshly-released Icha Icha novels to read later than he did putting their meeting on the backburner. Unfortunately, he had an obligation to his village and his position. His kohei has been captured, and the location of his student (the reason for this war) had been compromised. He was hardly down the hall when he was hijacked by Baki, shortly thereafter surrounded by ANBU. Before he knew what was happening, he was swept up in work trying to determine what the best way to go about a rescue strategy would be; a hard choice since the cell that went would more than likely have to face Madara.

With a different situation, he might've even assigned himself to a team to take care of it, but about the time he was arguing with himself that he could be delaying such a decision due to personal issues, Tsunade called him into council (which was more a short call to action rather than akin to the arduous diplomatic meetings up to this point), and it was handed down from above that he was to stay here as extra precaution against any attempts at the still-transitioning files. He made a mental note to thank the Hokage later for the decision; if he had been sent out, there's no telling when—or if—he'd be coming back, and that prospect actually frightened him for the first time in a long while.

However, he still found himself quickly flanked as soon as he entered the hall. He let them take his sides, but he didn't change his trajectory towards the section that acted as dormitories. He planned to sniff Rin out—either by his own sense or by his dogs—when he got there. Let the officials following him wonder what business he has doing a summoning in a residential area.

Someone was jabbering about the news coming from Amegakure of their promise for full support, while the official from Kiri alternatively groused and commended the actions being taken thus far, and the two representatives from Taki were trying their best to formally tell him that they will be doing their best to bring their country into the alliance as well, but Kakashi's brisk pace was hardly allowing for formalities, and at any given point an ANBU would add to the pollution with updates or needing orders for the changing situation. He had a flashback of when his sensei had become Hokage and was so damn busy he hardly seemed to have time for his students or pregnant wife, to the point he frequently snuck out. What a good role model you were, Minato-sensei. Running away looks _fantastic_ right now, and probably the only reason Kakashi didn't in this case was that he wasn't sure if he wanted to run _towards_ Rin or _away_.

He was only vaguely aware of being in the dormitory area when a woman wearing a yukata darted through their path, apparently trying to look as inconspicuous as someone could in a heavy ninja complex. This in itself would have been without substance if it weren't that she froze right in front of them, her hand suspended where she was moving to open a door. Was there something to make her stop so suddenly? Kakashi wasn't sure since someone in the flanking group was insisting his name to get his attention and he missed whatever it was. In any case, the awkward motion was enough to stop the procession. The woman looked up from the door to them tentatively.

Blonde hair, blue eyes, sun-freckled skin… Kakashi didn't find her familiar. Worrisome, since this woman didn't have any markings on her whatsoever assigning her to a village, and the yukata was no better at signifying this than a bathrobe. Was she a civilian?

"Ah… hello." She bowed deep and properly. "I apologize for getting in your path like that. I was just getting some fresh clothes for my son and myself. We'd just bathed and had nothing clean to change into." She indicated a bundle underneath her arm when she straightened.

"I'm Baajiru's mother. Allow me to thank you for all the help and patience you've had with my son."

* * *

I know. _Sorry_. Cliffs are kinda my easiest plot device.


	20. Links Appear

Disclaimer: Chapter 6.

I wrote this whole thing with the voice of Vincent Price reading it in my head.  
Krazed: So close apparently Gaara accidentally does the same routine as Nadeshiko. The fic is turning from interweaving to a prediction, I think!. Thank you as always for all your thoughtful compliments.  
Butterfly: Hah, you totally win a cookie for that. If I'm ever in the position, remind me that I owe it to you.

* * *

Running around in an area highly populated by ninja while you, personally, had been internationally recognized as dead struck Rin as a bad idea. The track record of ninja that were supposed to be dead, once found alive, tended to show that they were better off staying dead. After all, being becoming a corpse was a favorite way for a missing-nin to keep the heat off of them, so to speak, and the Akatsuki had been composed of missing-nin. A ninja from Konoha recognizing her _might_ be fine, but others recognizing her might result in an unnecessary scuffle.

Still, she and her son needed a change of clothes rather desperately, and it didn't occur to her to ask Yuugao before she left them in the baths—or even to bother Ginzu with the chore before shoving him off towards his own duties. Residential areas didn't always have their ninja in uniform, and there's no reason they shouldn't just overlook her if they didn't recognize her, so a henge no jutsu to look like a civilian mother she'd met near Taki seemed like a good choice. It should only take a short jaunt to somewhere there was some laundry.

Kakashi didn't even register as a problem to her; if he saw her while she was out, he shouldn't recognize her, and even if he clued in he'd probably let her get herself and Baajiru dressed first. If she hadn't have stupidly freeze upon hearing his name right before the door as if she was doing something wrong, he wouldn't have given her a second thought for crossing through his path. As it happened, she couldn't have made more of a spectacle of herself if she dropped a glass jar full of bells in front of them.

Not a one recognized her right off, and that might've been a negative rather than a positive since there appeared to be a representative from nearly every village present in that group. Even Ginzu and Kegon were there, she noted.

It struck her right then and there that Kakashi—regardless of the unusual procession surrounding him—might've been going directly to this door to see her and Baajiru. Kakashi's sense of smell was good enough that he could probably figure out where Baajiru was, but there's no telling if he'd remember her scent without the dogs. And with Ginzu being right there… it was a possibility that he was dropping by Baajiru first, if only because it seemed like the most logical start. It really came down to if anyone told Kakashi bluntly about Baajiru's parentage or not.

All of this flowed through her mind as her ninja training took over in playing the part of the civilian, bowing before the ninja deeply and offering her apologies, then announcing as she stood again, "I'm Baajiru's mother. Allow me to thank you for all the help and patience you've had with my son." She made a properly nervous but sunnily dumb smile and looked directly at Kakashi, gauging him.

It would have been impossible to mistake Kakashi for someone else, even after all these years, but she had to hold back a laugh bubbling up in her throat. Her first thought was that he looked a lot like Baajiru, as if he resembled her messy-headed son rather than the other way around. That son who'd she'd ordered to wash his hair until every strand was as pale as his father's, from root to tip, before she ran out to her errand.

Kakashi hesitated longer than she would've expected him to before answering. "Ah. I see, you're Baajiru's mother? Yes, Ginzu has told me about you." It'd been so long, but the years of conditioning told her he was disappointed. She'd forgotten his method of hiding emotions Kakashi had, and yet she could still pick it ouy as if it was written on his mask in white paint. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Why be disappointed? A glance at Ginzu showed that he was keeping his cool, but just barely, odd considering how contained he usually was. The situation at this complex seemed to be putting him on edge. "I don't want to keep you from your work," she found herself saying, completely aware that she was allowing the lie to run free.

"Ah, yes. I am looking for someone—"

"Okaa-san? Is my hair as pale as my father's now?"

Children, being the accidental masters of timing that they are, could stop such conversations as the current misguided one as sure as a lightning strike. All eyes were immediately on Baajiru, who was swathed in a robe and rubbing his messy, silver head of hair that right now greatly resembled Kakashi's, frazzled and fallen to the side from the moisture of the bath he'd been in. The blue scrawls on his cheeks stood out like an obvious mess against his cleaned skin. He didn't seem to care about the shocked looks, and instead looked to his similarly startled mother. "Why are you in a henge, Okaa-san?"

Rin's heart quite obviously stopped a moment, and when she dared to look at to the wide-eyed stare of Kakashi and the cringing face of Ginzu, a nonchalant laugh leapt from her throat. And when she looked about to speak, perhaps to explain the unusual situation, she turned, grabbed her son's hand, and ran like a bat out of Hell down the hallway.

"Wait!" Kakashi shouted, his voice a higher pitch from excitement, "Damnit! Come on, we're going after her!" He grabbed the vest of Ginzu, who had been about to dodge out of the whole ordeal. "You, too, 'ojisan'!"

Ginzu made a great groan, aware that he was being dragged into something that any man in his position would rather not be involved in, and he bade Kegon to wait up for him later as he was pulled by Kakashi's hand down the path. He hoped at least he would live long enough to look back at this embarrassing situation and laugh at the pure ridiculousness. But living that long might require some fancy talking, and he already ran that strategy dry.

Kakashi and his group were fast, but Rin and Baajiru had gotten a head-start on them. It looked like she was going to get outside of the building before they could gain on them, and any ninja with training for tracking will tell you that letting your pray get out of a building makes it harder to predict and control their movements to your favor.

"I'll catch them, Kakashi-sama! Suiton—!"

Kakashi caught his hands and pulled them apart without a glance to the side. "No! They aren't criminals!"

"What? Then what are they running for?"

"You let me worry about that, but no offensive jutsu!"

"As you order."

Another voice cut in."Something's happening up ahead!"

.-.-.

Madara had gone too far to mess things up now. His Zetsu army was still being finalized with the addition of Yamato to increase their strength. Sasuke was still healing (though he impatiently picked at the bandages whenever he thought no one was looking). And there's no telling if the Edo Tensei Kabuto was so proud of would provide enough support to rely on him... even if he had _that_ coffin. Besides, an earlier operation to obtain a key he had wanted had failed, so he resorted to putting one of the Rinnegan in his other socket now rather than save them both for later. This would actually work in his favor as he thought on it and, well, one eye was an _interesting_ coincidence.

Still, a test was in order. He had it under good authority (ha!) that the shinobi alliance hadn't quite solidified their measures yet, either, and he had a decent guess on what happened to the objective of that failed operation. So, why not send a newly-formed Zetsu clone to try the waters a bit at the base? Maybe it'll succeed, maybe it won't. Either way, he would gain some good information from it. And thus, Zetsu found himself sent to the location of the alliance's headquarters.

Rin had no sooner entered the courtyard than seen the attacker. Without a thought spared to it, she dropped the henge and started to circle to reach a proper fighting position. "Separate and go hide somewhere, Baajiru!"

The child did as his mother ordered, but hesitated long enough that someone caught a glimpse of him before a pillar fell and covered his tracks. Ninja already out in the courtyard were falling due to chakra drain by spores, and though Zetsu wasn't an upfront type, he was causing enough hell, making parts crumble over and under his enemies with indirect attacks to the infrastructure itself.

The members of the loose coalition were baffled. "What the hell kind of attack is this?"

"I don't know, but it only looks like one of them. Anyone see any backup?"

"Negative. Why would he come alone? No partner, no cell... not even a clone?"

Zetsu could only take advantage of their standoff while working on his objective for so long. He narrowly dodged an iron ball that sailed past him. It was connected to a chain—a meteor hammer—and one glance told him that the other end was wrapped around the wrist of a kunoichi in a yukata. The very reason the last attempt at this objective failed.

With a tug, the meteor hammer sailed backwards. Though the return hit didn't land, either, Zetsu felt damage from that side, and he jumped away. Rin bashed the ball and chain into the ground and disappeared into the fractured surface she'd created.

Meanwhile, Baajiru was doing his best to avoid both sight and rubble, pulling off fantastic acrobatics and jutsu for a child of his age in doing so. But as the fight dragged on and more ninja were pulled into the courtyard to defend, the more impossible it was proving to be. He became so disoriented and confused that he tripped over a fractured stone, and a second later his leg was pinned.

He cried out. "Okaa-san! Okaa-san! I'm stuck, I…" He pushed with chakra in his hands at the tree that had caught him, but to no avail. He screwed his eyes shut as tears leaked, trying to stop himself from pitifully sobbing as he was now. "Okaa…" Someone's shadow loomed over him, and he knew it wasn't his mother's. The child cringed.

Unexpectedly, a hand softly lay on his head. "I've been thinking," A familiar voice said, "that you inherited your eyes more from your mother's side than from me."

"Huh?" Baajiru's eyes popped open. It was Kakashi.

"It's good it ended up that way. The Hatake Droop is a curse, you know. When you're a kid, other kids think you're arrogant. When you're an adult, everyone thinks you're lazy. And when you're old, you just look tired. Hn, maybe there's truth to that impression. Anyway, you still have some droop to your eyes, I think, but it isn't so bad."

Baajiru looked up at his father with wide-eyed stupefaction. But instead of offering any explanation, Kakashi just smiled with his eye and calmly removed the debris that was pinning Baajiru down like it was nothing. When he was satisfied that nothing was broken, he helped Baajiru stand and directed him to an alcove. "Hide there and you should be safe, and don't worry about any of these ninja seeing you. I've ordered them to assist you."

"Huh?" Baajiru still looked honestly dumbfounded. "But what about Okaa-san? She's fighting."

"I'm just about to jump in to help her in the fight. Talking can wait till later."

"You'll... help Okaa-san?"

"Exactly."

Baajiru stared up in interest. "Really? You won't hurt her?"

That stabbing sensation in his chest was new to Kakashi. He was actually a little startled. "Of course I won't hurt her." Why'd the kid ask that question so damned _innocently?_ "I'd never do that. Now, run!"

Baajiru nodded, the confusion and fading suspicion written all over his face, but the suspicion unexpectedly hurt Kakashi. For the moment he just watched his son disappearing into the throngs of emerging shinobi, wondering. Crashing brought him out of his reverie quickly enough, and he jumped into the fray.

Zetsu found that this would likely be the best time for a tactical retreat. He gathered enough information about Yamato's addition to his power as far as he was concerned. No casualties, and the objective was now far from his reach, but he rather well knocked down the front door. It was difficult enough trying to test the waters without revealing all of his abilities. Besides, he wasn't exactly a _frontline type_.

As he tried to move out, it was apparent they weren't just going to let him run. He could "melt" into the scenery by Mayfly, but with so many earth-types around, whose to say if one could figure out how to stop it. He needed a distraction of some sort, the spores weren't enough; maybe he could take out a troublesome figure and jump off while people attended to them? The kunoichi in the yukata wasn't anywhere in immediate sight, nor was the objective, but he set his sights on someone just as good.

In an instant, Kakashi saw the enemy right before him, and pure reflex saved him from being stabbed by a kunai with a parry. His step back to accommodate for the emergency change of stance had his heel knock into a pillar behind him, and he knew that he could not withdraw backwards to gain better footing. So he took to an offensive and started pressing Zetsu back instead.

Some yardage was gained, but Zetsu changed tactics and did and area jutsu towards him, Kakashi still not with enough ground to move freely, and certainly not enough to dodge at this close of a range. Vines of long, hooked thorns that looked as deadly as they were sprung towards him. Kakashi braced himself and held his arms up to block, but felt something wrap around his ankle. He was pulled down.

The vines grew through a clear way, and that was enough of a distraction for Zetsu. He melted into them with his Mayfly, and in an instant, he was far away from the battlefield he created, satisfied that he was full of information and had possibly taken out an obstacle in the process.

Ninja immediately gathered around the thorns, the Konoha ANBU shouting in near panic that their leader might have just been killed. The thrush of thorns were far too thick to see into, and it was hard to even tell if there was blood pooling underneath or not. They had just begun cutting through when something cracked out from the ground many meters away.

Kakashi, still about thigh-deep in earth, coughed and shook his head and sandy bits of dirt flew from him. Rin hand an arm around him, her other hand wiping the dirt from herself. She was laughing. "Didn't it even occur to you to go into the ground?"

Kakashi managed a reply in the coughing. "Didn't have time. You coulda' used a different jutsu to drag me under."

"Complaining already, are we?"

"No..." Kakashi managed to gasp some more air—the burrowing travel Rin had chosen didn't allow him that, "...thank you for saving me."

Rin kept smiling, but then she pulled away to get out of the hole. Kakashi's eye opened wide and he grabbed her arms to pull her back in.

He pulled her to his chest and wound his arms tight around her, each ear to a cheek. "To see you again—I...!" His voice was still a little choked, and the pitch was unusually high for him. "Oh, Rin, I've missed you so much. I never dreamed I'd see you again."

There was still a little fear in his heart as she stood there motionless, but when he felt her return his embrace and heard her tender voice speak, it slipped away. "I-I missed you, too. Kakashi."


	21. Memories Are

Disclaimer: What?

I totally planned their meeting to be like that nearly from the beginning. It seems to me most likely that if Rin does reappear in the manga, it'll be a WTF!comedy moment rather than tender and emotional... unless she's one of Kabuto's zombies or something. In which case I see Kakashi flipping his shit hardcore. I see the general consensus is "FINALLY!", and generally pretty happy. I'm happy that you're all happy! :D (And, of course, I'm always happy for the thoughtful reviews.)  
Trezyotashane: Thank you for the compliments! And don't worry; your English came out clearly.  
Dawnanash-San: Haha. A random kidnapper would have been a funny play to pull on you guys, but I think I made you guys wait long enough.  
Krazed: Yay! I made laughter when appropriate! Heh, even though I like little bits of suspension, I wouldn't let Kakashi get himself killed and/or hospitalized so soon after "seeing" Rin. Poor man's been cockblocked enough by destiny, lol.  
elesi: Aww, thanks elesi. A great compliment to come from a fellow KakaRin writer (whose stories I've reread a few times, I must say).  
kakarin fan: Flattery by every angle! Seems those four chapters of suspense paid off. Thank you so much. My update this time was quick for you and all the rest of these wonderful reviewers._  
(...That and that this chapter was easy for me to write.)_

* * *

Baajiru didn't know what to think, anymore. Kakashi—his father—was acting nice and happy towards his mother. Okaa-san looked like she could cry any minute, but to be honest, so did Kakashi. It was a little hard to believe that this was the sarcastic man from earlier, and it was even harder to believe that he might ever have tried to hurt his mom. He heard a stories of his father and of several people that had been in her life while in Konoha, and it only vaguely clued to Baajiru that she was particularly melancholy when reminded of Kakashi before he found a puzzle.

Ginzu-ojisan's great aunt, horrible woman that she was, always spat and sputtered that Rin was a floozy, that the father must've ran away because she deserved it, that single women with children were immoral, and she was obviously trying to trap her great-nephew into marriage, but maybe that was okay because the boy was getting too old to be a bachelor anymore. Baajiru didn't like the woman nor how she talked about others—especially those he cared about—but it was a clue in any case that there was something wrong with a woman raising her child alone.

School was the second clue. Rin applied him in without a surname, and due to the policies of the school, children in that situation were quite often put in the same class. Baajiru soon learned why these children didn't have surnames: they only had mothers who _had_ been married to the fathers, but had a_ very bad_ separation. The school put them together due to the complications of children disappearing from among "normal" children and possibly disrupting the learning environment.

It was deeper than that. Baajiru made friends among these children, his classmates, and they had ambivalent attitudes towards their "fathers" at best. Some tentatively missed their fathers, others were angry and sad when reminded, but most simply didn't talk about it. Baajiru didn't really understand what the problem was, and he didn't really think about it. He had better things to think about, like math and hiragana and hand-signs and why mushrooms are shaped like umbrellas.

It was forever ago when he found out, when one sleepover at a friend's that ended in disaster. His friend's father _found_ their house that night, and it was terrible. He screamed and broke things and grabbed the child's mother to shake her, and the mother looked scared and weak. Baajiru and his friend were frozen in the other room, holding each other while his friend shivered and sobbed. Baajiru kept wondering, "Why doesn't she fight back? Okaa-san would fight back. Okaa-san would _never_ be that scared." So that's _not_ why he and Okaa-san are alone, he decided, and left it at that.

He changed his mind not long ago—which was still forever ago to Baajiru, just a shorter forever—when he went home from the hag's house to wait for his mother. She was coming back from a job that day, and he was big enough to walk home and wait, so long as she was going to be there soon. He waited a long time; it got dark, dinner time passed... he ended up falling asleep on the couch in the front room because he was afraid he would miss her when she came in.

Okaa-san didn't usually come in late, and she always returned looking as fresh as she did when she left. Rarely did she seem to have been scratched up or wounded when she came back, at most having a few bandages on an arm that disappeared without a trace in a couple days. The sound of the front door opening jarred Baajiru awake, and he was sitting straight up like he had a pole in his back before he was even aware of it, facing the door as it opened to the slight starlight outside and a black silhouette, hunched and shambling.  
The door shut again. His eyes adjusted quickly, but it still took a while to recognize that bloodied, dirty, stooped person as his mother. Her clothes were torn in several places, there were so many red, sticky splotches that it was hard to tell where one stain began and the other ended. Her arms, slamming back the door, throwing aside her heavy pack, stumbling for a light, moved in exaggeration, as if she didn't have the energy to control them very well. She was wide-eyed, but she didn't look like she was in pain. Her breath was heavy and strained.

Baajiru pulled himself from the couch to stand on the floor as quietly as he could, his heart beating in his ears. It wasn't quiet enough, because her face shot up, eyes straight on him. Okaa-san's eyes were... scared. Scared and weak. She looked like his friend's mom, which didn't look right on her. They stood staring at each other for a full beat. "Okaa-san..." Baajiru squawked.

Rin gasped a sigh of relief and straightened up to a normal stance. "Oh! Baajiru! You startled me! For a second, you looked like your father." She started laughing.

"Huh?"

"What are you doing up? Don't tell me you waited up on me. Are you crying? Oh, I'm so sorry I scared you, honey..."

By the next morning, she was washed and rested, and looked so much like she normally did that he would have thought the previous night was a bad dream, if she hadn't apologize again at breakfast for frightening him last night. So Baajiru thought a lot about it, asked his friends at school a lot of questions, and decided what sort of person his father was by himself, deciding all the stories about his father and "Obito" and "Minato-sensei" and her family back in Konohagakure were all the same kind of lies kids told the teachers so that she wouldn't worry him. And he was sure he was right.

But now, his resolve was shaken, and he wasn't sure of his conclusion anymore. Every time his mother beckoned him to come sit with them, he shook his head wildly and recoiled to hide behind the chair that was in the room, but still kept his head popped out with wide eyes to observe. Each time Rin had to contain her laughter at her son's suddenly bashful behavior.

"I think he hates me," Kakashi said, looking over at where his son was poorly hiding.

"Of course he doesn't. He's just not used to you is all. He never had a father before."

His eye glanced back at Rin. "Unless you count Ginzu, right?"

Rin went silent and took a drink of the sake they were sharing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to come out the way it did. I'm just a little annoyed that he managed to dodge out before I could talk to him about all this."

"He does have work here, Kakashi. And as for what happened... Ginzu is my friend."

"I know, and I'm not criticizing. I wasn't exactly there for you to help take care of our son. Better that someone was there than no one."

"Not by any fault of your own," she reminded him. "He'll warm up to you. Baajiru is bratty, but he really can be sweet."

The fifth stretched out silence since they started talking ensued, and Kakashi broke it again by saying the same thing, "I just can't believe it. It's been so long."

"I know, Kakashi. There were times I believed I wouldn't see you again."

The remaining suspicion in Baajiru continued to have bits chiseled away. Every time they said things like this, it sounded very sincere, like they really haven't seen each other in a long time.

"I definitely didn't think I'd ever see you again," he continued, "I thought the next time we'd meet would be when I died, and I'd have to face Obito to explain myself."

"When I go, I'll have to explain to him why I let you believe I was dead for so long. Please, don't worry about it."

Kakashi knelt his head down and stared at the meter or so distance between him and Rin. He didn't like that little bit of separation between them, and, damnit, when he hugged her earlier and buried his face into her hair it felt so wonderfully fulfilling. But then it struck on him how many unwanted touches Rin received after they were captured, how many she must've even received after her death was faked and she was taken away. He remembered the staff that had been missing after the gallows party, remembered the words of that damn Oniisama in the torture chambers... And suddenly Kakashi was afraid to get close to Rin.

"Kakashi?"

"Hn?" He shot his head up and felt slight embarrassment that he was letting his mind wander to unpleasant areas. "Ah, sorry. I guess I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed. I thought you were dead for so long. Um, lets talk about something else. What sort of school does Baajiru go to?"

"He goes to a normal children's school for a small village not far from Takigakure. Since it's close to a hidden village it isn't so strange to have a boy running about using jutsu even though he isn't in a ninja academy. I train him in jutsu when he comes home."

"How is he doing?"

"Very well. He's ahead of his classmates and even the bullies several years ahead of him don't bother him. I think going to school strictly for academics and socialization while I train him at home is making him much more well-rounded than our training allowed us in the academy." She smirked a little. "If you even _remember_ the academy, that is."

Kakashi laughed and nodded. "Just as well his focus becomes more academic. Konoha's approach to the academy has changed over the years. Even students that would qualify as elites don't tend to graduate before they reach twelve years of age, and some parents are suggesting they continue part-time classes for academics and study while they do field training with their jounin instructors."

"We had to do that, anyway, to get specific qualifications. You went to classes before becoming a jounin, and again for ANBU, and again for ANBU captain."

"That was nothing compared to your medic-nin training. Sometimes the only times I'd see you were during missions." Kakashi chuckled. "And then you had jounin and ANBU classes, too. I hated it!"

Rin giggled. "I know. You actually got caught once sneaking into the jounin class, once. Remember what the instructor said?"

"Of course I do. 'Hatake-san, if I hadn't have known better, that terrible attempt of infiltration alone would have convinced me you were still a chuunin and I would have thought nothing about it!'"

"That's right! And you were so angry afterwards, you kept talking about how you were going to show him by burglarizing his house and stealing his toupee from his nightstand while he slept."

"Would have worked, too. How was I supposed to know that ugly rug was real?"

Their laughter continued a bit, but it eventually died down into another pregnant silence. Why were these coming at such frequency? Neither could remember talking between each other ever being so hard. Rin was overly aware of herself, thinking of every fold and hair visible to Kakashi, while Kakashi felt both Rin's presence and his son's watchful eyes. They were actually relieved when Sakura announced herself in. "Excuse me. Hello, Kakashi-sensei, Rin-san. Yuugao-taichou sent me to give you the mission report." She held it out before her towards Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded and took it. "Thank you, Sakura, but why isn't Yuugao submitting the report."

"Because she had to submit a report to the Hokage, then return to give a verbal report."

"Figures." Kakashi opened the report and thumbed through it absently.

"I've heard a few things you might like to hear, too, Sensei. Naruto, Gai, and the jinchuuriki with the eight-tails are expected to be here tomorrow."

"Sounds fun. Exactly what we need after our own base getting hit. At least Naruto will be easier to keep out of trou—nevermind, I'm not going to finish that sentence. I should know better by now."

"And the ninja from Amegakure have just arrived. They're actually an army themselves, so I think they're already promising cooperation. Are you going to meet them?"

"Tomorrow. The Hokage told me I was excused any and all duties for the rest of the night. Now I see why."

"Oh. That's good." Sakura finally noticed Baajiru hiding behind a chair in the room, staring at her with interest. "Ah! Baajiru-chan! I didn't get to speak to you much earlier. I'm Haruno Sakura." She smiled and waved. "The team I was in helped your mother out of a tough situation and escorted her here."

"I heard about you before," the boy said, and revealed himself a little from behind the furniture, looking at her with interest.

"Did you?"

Baajriu nodded and stared for a few more seconds in silence before he said, in a quiet voice much unlike his usual rambunctiousness, "You're pretty."

Sakura giggled a little. How cute of him to say so! "You think I'm pretty?"

Baajiru shot back behind the chair, waiting a few more seconds than before to dare to look out from behind it again. Both Rin and Kakashi grinned and tried not to laugh.

"Mhm," Baajiru nodded eventually, then added, "I heard you were pretty and you had nice hair and a really big forehead."

Sakura's grin dropped in an instant, and she found herself stomping towards the child. "Why you—!"

Kakashi caught her by the back of her shirt. "You aren't about to beat my son right in front of me, are you?"

"Uh, sorry, Sensei."

Rin giggled. "I think it's adorable. My little boy's first crush is on your student."

Baajiru hid again.

.-.-.

Nadeshiko kept running a thumb over the kanji gracing the middle of the hitai-ate in her hand. She had been loud and brazen up until this point when she entered the base, curt and sometimes even flippant with her responses to the other military leaders. But when the new symbols for this alliance was handed to her, she had suddenly been struck into silence and did not look up from where she was examining the symbol. A silence as thick as a blanket of snow fell on the council chamber.

"Does the symbol displease you, Nadeshiko-san?" Mifune ventured calmly.

"Ah, I'm sure it's just that she just ordered us to remake our own hitai-ate," Ryuusui offered, indicating the plate on his forehead that proudly showed four vertical lines, unmarred by a strike.

"Yes," Oboro chimed in, "It took a lot of work to—"

"No, that isn't it at all." Her voice broke in with an almost gruff tone to it, despite that it was suddenly much softer. "I'm just beside myself a little, is all."

Mifune crossed his arms loosely into his sleeves. "If you could please explain, Nadeshiko-san. Your entrance into this alliance early on would be most beneficial to us in this war. We do not wish to offend you."

"I'm not offended." She pursed her lips a little, then let them spread into a smile. "If anything, I'm relieved because my idea wasn't so unique. It gives me confidence that the other leaders feel similarly about uniting under a single symbol." She bowed, the hitai-ate still laying across her palms, as if she was thanking him for an antique blade. "We would all be honored to fight in such unity. Enemies we once were, enemies we will be no longer."

"I'm glad to hear it." He allowed a smile to quirk his own lips. "I had heard your temper could be violent, and feared you might end up clashing with the Raikage."

"I would endeavor to avoid that. I have known many ninja from Kumogakure. Are we the first of the smaller countries joining this alliance?"

"Officially, yes, but several other alliances are underway as well. We have two representatives here from Taki who have all but promised their own loyalty to the alliance, and we've recently received word from Tanima—ah, sorry, _Kawa no Kuni_—that we can expect their cooperation as well. Their daimyo has given his full support."

"Tanima, eh?" She continued fingering the plate and looking into her distorted reflection. "Sure brings back memories. I should like to meet the other leaders and dignitaries, including the two representatives and the generals you've picked out thus far."

"Of course. We'll be having another meeting in a few minutes, and tomorrow the Tsuchikage is expected to return. Please feel free to bring your two escorts and add what you wish to the conversation."

As the samurai walked away, Ryuusui leaned towards her. "If you wish to switch me out for a higher-ranked ninja, Nadeshiko-sama, I understand. Though I am older than Oboro, I am a mere genin."

"There is no one above that rank still alive within the camp once loyal to Pain," Nadeshiko returned, "Which isn't entirely your faults since the village has not been able to participate in a chuunin exam for a couple years. I'd rather have someone from each camp at my shoulders than risk alienation again."

"As you wish," he recoiled back into his stance, still uneasy even as they entered the chambers.

"We welcome to our circle the new leader of Amegakure, Nadeshiko," Mifune announced.

She nodded her head towards each figure at the round table and sat, placing her gasmask and the hitai-ate before her. "I am honored, fellow shinobi."

"It is good news to hear that you're willing to add your loyalty and resources among us," the Raikage's booming voice fell from above, "but your village's association with the Akatsuki in the past will bring questions of information leaks. How do you plan to route the possibility?"

"I have personally held no love for the Akatsuki, even before they had exacted their trechery to tear apart our country into another civil war. However, the original founders of the group—Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan—have been reburied with full honors as war heroes, the same as all who had lost their lives in the bitterness between the two camps of four and five lines.

"I don't want to start rambling. The fact is, even while the bitter words and blows have been traded before, no man of Amegakure is anything but loyal to our village. We had been tricked into reacting by strict security measures. 'Security is the greatest enemy' was the phrase my sensei repeated, even as he had me frisked before I could speak to him face-to-face. We can't afford to plug our leaks with heavy plates of steel anymore. That in itself nearly tore us apart, and my sensei knew it even as he did it.

"But, I offer you my guarantee, because there isn't a man in my village that would dare to let it happen. Not after all we went through together. I give my word, and may you have my head if any leak _does_ come from us."

After a moment of no one speaking, the Raikage leaned his head on a fist. "I didn't ask for a speech."

"Ah... Sorry. I'm new to having such a position. But my meaning is sincere. If there is a single leak you suspect from us, feel free to execute me for their crimes. They are my responsibility."

"You're promising a lot, Nadeshiko-san," a voice came from the side. Her eyes set on one of the representatives from Takigakure. He was wearing a knowing smile that looked like it'd do well on a fox. "Hanzou's administration dealt with other interesting things as well. Do you trust yourself among those who might have been involved—on either side—to act with the past still in the past?"

She examined the man's face for a while, and decided that, thought the words could certainly be threatening, the tone was anything but. "I have been able to do so for years, and I expect I can continue with it as my second nature. Ah, and what is your name?"

"Ginzu, from Taki, and my friend here is Kegon." His smile turned friendly, and Nadeshiko had a most nostalgic feeling. "No doubt you have heard of the deals that promise the inclusion of Tani as well, but there are those of other brotherhoods you might wish to be aware of. For instance—" He tilted his head towards Baki, who had up until the recent position changes been the security rep for Suna.

Baki took the signal for what it was. "Yes, along with myself is Suguri Joubin, no longer of active duty but still able to do administrative work, and Hatake Kakashi, who has been decided as the general of the third division. Both are not present at the moment; Joubin is nursing a wound to his leg, and Hatake-san has been excused by the Hokage."

Nadeshiko pursed her lips again, biting down hard as she looked at Baki. Perhaps she should laugh or scream, be elated or panic, but an old, cruel part of her desperately wanted to ask, with the most snark she could, if Baki's left ear was still shriveled up like a dried prune, or if he ever did anything about those cigarette scars she left him with. With a little effort she battered that impulse down and looked back to Ginzu, whose fox smile had returned.

"Many brotherhoods, indeed."

.-.-.

When Kakashi awoke in the middle of the night with Rin's arms around him and one of his own arms pinned under her, he already knew that it wasn't his reoccurring dream, even as it puzzled him as to how he discerned that so quickly. Here they were, haphazardly laying together in a single futon, another largely ignored not far away. How did they get in that position? Logic says he fell asleep first if he doesn't remember it and Rin is on top of one of his limbs, but what possessed her to it? He remembered the conversation with Rin getting easier and easier as the hours drew and the bottle of sake lightened. At some point, Kakashi suggested they continue to catch up and Baajiru be given his chamber so that the child could sleep.

After the child left, they honestly did just talk. The sake gradually emboldened him to creep closer to her, to get rid of that damnable distance, but he couldn't recall touching her. Kakashi didn't even pull down his mask, which he noted now was still on along with the rest of his clothes and gear. Looking at Rin, she was the same way, dressed in the borrowed outfit she'd changed into from the yukata. The other futon was near enough to catch Rin's legs that were stretching out at an angle. It occurred to Kakashi that he should wake her so she could actually sleep in her futon comfortably, but he wasn't sure if he liked the idea of Rin pulling away from him.

Did this mean he loved her? He honestly wasn't sure. He was undeniably joyful to have her back after so long, but the separation being so long was part of the problem. He loved Rin when they were in that cell together, but did he love her before then? In a way, perhaps. They were good friends, but they lived their own lives. The two of them had _moments_ maybe—a few seconds or a beat—but those never lasted, and they still remained friends. And Kakashi would admit to fantasizing from time to time, but that wasn't so unusual. Any psychologist would tell you it was common for teenagers and young adults to have fantasies involving people close to them of the opposite sex, so he personally paid no mind to him

He knew that Rin definitely loved him at some point, but after that day when Obito died, she never came close to saying the words again, not until they were sharing misery in those cells and had only each other. He suddenly remembered a conversation, some years after the Kyuubi attack, that explained it:

_ "Kakashi, did you ever hear the theory that emotional responses come from the physical rather than the mental?"_

_ "Hn?"_

_ "I mean, that one is angry because they throw a punch, not that they threw a punch because they were angry. Or that someone is happy because they're smiling, not smiling because they're happy."_

_ "Something about it in a Battle Theory class, but that was years ago."_

_ "It's true! Say you went to my apartment one day and found me brutally murdered on the floor—"_

_ "Rin! Don't talk like that!"_

_ "I'm just talking hypothetically! Okay, say it's… _Gai_ on _his_ apartment floor. Now, the natural reaction is that you'd shout or scream, right?"_

_ "Is this whole 'hypothetical situation' going to be morbid? You're being weird today, Rin, let's change the subject."_

_ "Big ANBU captain afraid of talking about death? Just let me finish. The interesting thing is the immediate reaction isn't because you know Gai is on the floor dead. You've already begun screaming a fraction of a second before you've consciously understood the situation at all. You actually scream by reflex. Did you ever notice that you can grunt and shout out from being hit before you even realize you've been hit?"_

_ Kakashi was silent a while. "So what's your point?"_

_ "It happens to actors a lot. People who play the part of lovers, go through all the motions, fall in love. Consequentially, people who act again and again that they aren't in love do—eventually—fall out of love. If you live a lie long enough, it isn't a lie anymore. You know what I mean?"_

She must've been telling him that for a reason, probably to reassure him that she _wasn't_ in love with him anymore. Still, looking back, it was hard to tell if they honestly weren't in love or if they were just skirting the issue. He couldn't remember how it felt.

The way he described the feeling of love to himself in Matsubaran-zan, when he had nothing better to do but analyze, was that love felt like bubbles. This conclusion sounded corny and ridiculous and a little like something he read in Jiraiya's novels, but nonetheless he felt it was true. When he first saw her face in that hole, despite the bruises and filth, thousands of little bubbles rose and expanded in his chest. He felt that frequently when he saw her from that point on, during all their happy moments.

He also decided that the forlorn moments of love were also bubbles, but they behaved differently. They rose and expanded, but they numbered fewer and were much larger. They hurt as they traveled and burst. When Rin was gone from her cell, he felt that. During the times he could hear her sobbing, too. The worst he felt it was when he was in the hospital later, where the large, obstructive bubbles seemed to clog his arteries. He felt such physical pain that, at some point, Kakashi called in a nurse and declared, "I think I'm having a heart attack."

Maybe it changed. Did he feel that now? Hard to say. Last time he held Rin like this was six years ago. He's aged since then, had experiences he never would have thought he would. Who's to say it still felt like bubbles or anything else like tha—

Rin shifted a little and pulled her head a little closer to his. Her parted lips were now near his ear, which was perfect, because otherwise Kakashi wouldn't have heard it. It was only two clicks and a hiss, but the tempo, the rhythm... she had said his name in her sleep. Unmistakably, it was his name. He took a shuddering breath and tightened the arm already around her to pull her closer. Then she said it again, this time almost loud enough to be a real whisper.

Kakashi turned his head and examined her face, torn between the overwhelming urge to kiss her and the possibility of disturbing her sleep. He was certainly in love.


	22. Debt Return

Disclaimer: Chapter wan.

All my drawings and otherwise creative talents have slowed to a standstill. It's massively annoying one of my friends that I have like 6 requests from, and it's annoying me because the doujin is going sooo slooooow.  
Butterfly: Aww, thanks. I'm seriously very flattered. Though as time passes in the manga, the less likely a Rin-Zombie-Scenario seems. Unless that's what the one coffin was. And that just raises more questions.  
Dawnanash-San: I've been vaguely hinting that Nadeshiko is Unmei for a bit, but she's not a major character so no one really cared to talk about it, lol. I'm happy I can cause an addiction! Maybe soon I can work with the next biggest bad commercial habit since the cigarette!  
kakarin fan: It is sweet and nice, and I fear I might be too sweet and nice considering the subject. But I held off on the horror a little longer, partially for plot, partially because I'm just as much a sap for KakaRin.  
Krazed: Geniuses are all dumb like that. They'll spend most hours of several weeks pouring over something and addressing every point they can with absolute zeal, then they wake up one night asking themselves if they're obsessed.  
elesi: He will in the near future, but first he needs to conclude that's where the "threat" in the new father lies.  
As always, I'm very happy for all the reviews and the compliments. My readers are awesome.

* * *

Rin was most careful the morning after to make a show of being in her own futon and quite ready to stay there a while. It had taken her quite a bit of effort to get that way, since she had enough trouble untangling herself from Kakashi without rousing him earlier, vaguely remembering how she settled on his shoulder and intended only to close her eyes and think for a while. When she felt Kakashi's hand shake her shoulder as he entreated her to wake, she mumbled something sufficiently incoherent and curled up away from him. The man made a hum in response, then left to the adjoining bathroom to prepare for the day. Thus alone and unfettered by his company, Rin rolled onto her back and stretched her shoulders and arms with a great exhale.

"What to do..." she muttered, more to clear her throat than to ask the question. For a moment, she rose to sit upright and occupied herself by wiping the bleary morning mess from her eyes. Then her one pack she'd saved became her amusement for a little while, not finding any clothes or money, but no shortage of equipment, and unfortunately nothing to entertain herself with. With the race against the flames in her household, she had not even brought a book to read. Lucky for her, she spied a green book that had fallen out from somewhere and was now lying where she and Kakashi had left their things the previous night. In a moment, she had brought it to herself and was now on her stomach, propped onto a pillow to read.

It was the first volume of_ Icha Icha Tactics_, which had been published and released not too long ago, and it occurred to Rin that perhaps she _did_ manage to bring a book with her, because she had bought her own copy and, with how Jiraiya-sama had been going on when she last saw him, it would have been her first choice to bring. Perhaps it was merely still in her pack from the last time she went out on a job... She opened it and, with little effort, found where she had left off. Her reading commenced soundly, and though it did strike here that something was off about the book—the creases made were wrong and it generally felt differently handled—she attributed this to the vast change of situation she's had.

Kakashi didn't take up the bathroom for long, and as soon as he exited, announced to Rin that she was free to take her turn to prepare for the day. She took no mind to him as she plucked at her own lip with her nails, thoroughly fascinated with the text.

"Rin, did you hear me?"

"Uh huh," she grunted, "but I have no clothes."

"Wear mine until I find something your size."

She eyed Kakashi incredulously from the passage she was on. "Your clothes wouldn't fit me in a hundred years."

"Just until I get you something better. What are you reading?"

"Hmm?" Rin took a moment to process her situation, then shut the book and hid it under her form. It would _not_ do for Kakashi to catch her reading a romance novel, especially one written by the infinite pervert sensei of their sensei. Never mind that any given romance novel had the same run of content… he'd still never let her live it down. "Nothing important. You have work this morning, right? I doubt you'd want me here riffling through your things just to find something to wear while you're out."

He ignored the attempt to change the subject and knelt down beside her, peering under with his exposed eye. "Hey, that's my copy of Icha Icha, isn't it? And you say you don't want to rummage though my pack!"

"I had found it on the floor! You mean to tell me this is _your_ book?"

"It was a gift to me from my student, after he had returned from his training. Is that so strange?"

Rin's eyes bugged at him, and brought the book back out into direct light as if to examine it again. "You actually read these books?"

"I wouldn't talk. You were just reading it, and quite enjoying it from what I could tell."

"That's not what I..." Her voice trailed off and she took a deep sigh. "Why did I take that stupid bet with Jiraiya-sama? To prove I'm not Tsunade?" She huffed and slapped the book down by Kakashi's hand. "I did just that!"

"Bet?"

She cringed and closed her eyes a moment, realizing she said something that was ultimately going to upset him.

"What bet? When did you have this bet with Jiraiya-sama?"

Rin looked over Kakashi. His eye was wide and questioning, and his whole stature was seized up, like he was poised and braced to strike at an enemy that was due to come out of cover. Rin heaved a great sigh and chose to speak the truth.

"A bit ago, he had told me that you read these books faithfully, and I didn't believe him. It sparked a light argument and I eventually proclaimed that if you did read them, I would give away all the money I had. Then he laughed and said I was no better than Tsunade, and the bet escalated to my house and all my possessions."

He seemed to realize immediately there was a problem of time frame. "And this was…?"

"Not much more than a year ago. If that."

Kakashi groaned and sat back. "So he _knew? _Jiraiya-sama knew this whole time and didn't breathe a word about it to me? How long did he know?"

"A good while, I guess. It was through him I was able to send contacts back to the Sandaime about what happened."

"I had asked him after you had—after I had _thought_ you had died—to investigate what happened, and for every attempt I had in asking what his intelligence network got him, he always said things towards the negative. And yet he knew better this whole time?" He shook his head in disbelief. "If he hadn't died already himself, I'd run to kill him this moment!"

Rin's brows raised in shock. "Kakashi, with Danzou and the Root active, he must've thought it was wise to—"

"To hell what he thought was wise!" He snorted.

"Well… if it makes you happy, he'd just been cheated out of his winnings even if he had lived: my house and all of its possessions have been destroyed in the fire. I'm pretty well destitute." This much fact was mere aggravation to her until a new point dawned over her brow this second. "Along... along with all the mission reports! Oh god, the_ mission reports!_"

"What?"

Rin buried her face in her hands and growled in frustration. "I had to make a mission report for each and every mercenary job I did to give the Hokage upon my return! It was supposed to help cover for all the paperwork for the time away from the village, to keep me from getting labeled with missing-nin status. Years of solo missions reports with no copies, up in flames!"

"I…I'm sure it's fine." Kakashi paled a bit at the thought of so many reports disappearing and being personally responsible for them. That would literally be hundreds of hours of work to redraw, and Tsunade _would_ require it of him. But Rin… "Hokage-sama will understand the situation," he affirmed.

"You don't get it! Not only am I destitute... I'm legally a criminal!"

"No one's going to arrest you! We aren't even in Hi no Kuni, and you're not going to get imprisoned as soon as the war ends."

"But it means tenfold the time in reinstating my status as a ninja, which will _already_ be delayed. And that means just as much delay in getting sanctioned work, and I sure as hell won't be able to find any lender willing to give me a loan in the meantime. I... I need to go talk to Tsunade-sama..." She started to rise, but Kakashi lurched forward and seized her arm.

"Rin! Rin, it's okay! We're about to start a war, and petty legal matters are the last thing on anyone's mind._ I_ know you're here, and the _Hokage_ knows you're here, and that's _all_ that matters. Please put it out of your mind for now."

"But I can't! If I were alone, I wouldn't worry about it; sleeping in trees is nothing new to me. But I have to think about Baajiru. I-I need to go and—" Rin attempted to rise again, but Kakashi held her arm fast and forced her to sit.

"No! No, no, no, you have to stay _here._"

"Kakashi?"

"You'll _stay_. I'm not ready for you to run off again, even if it's just to go across the courtyard. _Please._"

Rin felt a tender stab in her chest by the tone of his words, and her eyes heat up and threaten to pool water. His grip on her arm remained as hard as ever, and the way he was bent forward with a foot firmly planted below him showed he was ready to pull her down with force if she tried to escape again. She wasn't sure how to react to this: she expected Kakashi to be angry and hurt, and it was more than obvious by the creases around the lone eye he showed, but she was prepared for him to shun her, to avoid her like he did in the past when he became cross. This situation... frightened her. He had a life after she had "died", and even with what the ninken told her, she expected him to have moved on and have bigger worries. He had students to think about, hadn't he?

Apparently, Rin was wrong, because Kakashi continued: "And don't worry about where to live, okay? When we get back to Konoha, you'll both live with me. You and Baajiru. My apartment is small, but it'll do until we pick something bigger. Money won't be a problem; I rarely spend all I receive from missions, anyway. Do you understand?"

Rin blinked furiously, stupefied and trying her best to keep back tears. She really didn't like this talk. "No. Not at all. I hid from you and kept you away from your son. You don't have to change _your_ life for us."

"I'm doing it because I want to; because there's a debt here. I didn't get to protect you for so long, and I intend to get that all paid up _now_."

"But you don't _owe_ us anything!" Her shoulders trembled slightly, and suffocation coated over her.

"No, that's not it. _I'm_ the one indebted to here, and now even _Obito_ comes second to that!" Kakashi's eye narrowed and he gestured his free hand with energy. "Fate cheated me out of six years: I missed your pregnancy, when I would have enjoyed vexing you with my overprotective coddling and you couldn't have done a damn thing about it; I missed the birth, wherein you named my son some strange name I can't figure a meaning for; first steps, first words… I missed his rearing, so now he regards me as a stranger bent on hurting his dear mother." He let go of her arm so he could cross his. "And the ultimate insult: a bed to myself the whole time! Just last night I remembered what I had been missing, when I found your arms around me... what husband is kicked out of his wife's bed the day after his wedding?"

Each outrageous declaration battered her down further, but the last few words flipped that by forcing her to burst into a near hysterical fit of laughter. Tears leaked from where they were standing, but she wiped them away almost as an afterthought. Her breath that was being arrested by the stomach-turning tension was now free.

"What's so funny?" he sounded offended.

Rin was laughing so hard that she was doubling over and holding her sides, but soon enough she was able to choke out, "You're ranting!"

"Huh?"

"I haven't heard you try to rant like that in years!" Her chuckles diminished as she took in great inhales of oxygen, but she was still tittering between phrases. "You've gotten better at it. Did your students give you practice?"

"Don't joke with me, Rin."

"But _you're_ joking with _me_, to keep my spirits up." She pulled his mask down and the laughter threatened to seize her up again. "See? A quirk is trying your lips even as you frown."

"I'm not joking." Though he was now struggling to keep from laughing with her.

"Then what's with that look on your face, hmm?"

"Because you look silly with _your_ face red with laughter," he replied indignantly, "And since when did you need to see my face to find my intentions? I thought you had natural divination."

"I've been gone a while, so I'm rusty. And you should talk about red faces—with how you get a raccoon mask when you've been stuck out in the sun. I see you don't even have a tan-line over your nose. Avoiding day missions?"

"Hardly; it's winter."

"Ah. But you haven't shaved lately, either. Doesn't the bristle rubbing against the mask bother you?"

"Not really. And I've been too busy to shave something nobody sees."

"You could have shaved just a moment ago."

"I didn't want to tie up the bathroom. Would you prefer I had shaved?"

"I don't know. Let me see." She leaned forward and pressed her lips on his, intending to leave them there for only a few moments. However, Kakashi's reaction was instant and severe: he made a husky whimper and his arms urgently caged and crushed her against him, as if afraid she—and her kiss—would dissolve into the air.

"Mmmh!" Rin broke it quickly and pushed herself as far as his grip would allow, laughing again in spite of herself. "I was trying to make it a simple gesture, and you go complicating it by squeezing the life out of me!"

"I told you I wasn't joking. You're lucky my mouth isn't devouring yours!" he retorted, and he underscored this by pulling her back for another.

.-.-.

"Kakashi-sensei is supposed to be at a meeting, so I'm sure he'll come by with Rin-san, soon."

Baajiru continued twisting his lips into a scowl and shoved his hands into his pockets, not really bothering to look at Sakura as they slowly went the length of the hall. The foottraffic of other ninja continued in a more brisk pace, going this way and that, accents and pitches of voices melding into a clamor. "This place is weird. It's big and there are many levels people everywhere." The only place this loud that Baajiru could think of was the lunchroom at school.

"Are you scared, Baajiru-chan?"

"No! I'm not scared!" The boy stopped walking and turned towards Sakura, his hands fisted before him in determination. "I'm going to be a great shinobi someday! I'll be brave and strong and I'll never be scared!"

"Really?" Sakura smiled so broadly it turned almost into a sarcastic grin. "So you're never scared? Then brave shinobi often hide behind chairs?"

His face turned red, and his fists went down to his sides. "…That's _different_."

"Aww, don't take it seriously." Sakura giggled. "I understand. You've been through a lot this past week and now you're in a strange country. You're doing really great for a kid your age." She held out a hand. "If you're afraid of getting lost, then just hold my hand for now. Okay?"

He still looked indignant, but Sakura had coaxed his selfish pride enough to make him blush and, nonetheless, put his small hand in hers. They stayed walking like this for a bit before he spoke again, with as much enthusiasm as before.

"Where's Ginzu-ojisan?"

"I think I saw him enter the meeting about half an hour ago."

"But I thought the meeting hasn't started yet."

"Actually it has. Kakashi-sensei is just… prone to being late a lot."  
"But Okaa-san is never late. Not unless something is wrong." The child scowled.

"And I bet he's made her late. He's good at that. Still, if you're worried—"

"Sakura-san!" a voice called, followed by the bounding green figure of Rock Lee, white teeth flashing as he smiled and came up to her. "Sakura-san, did you hear the news? We are supposed to be in Division Three of the shinobi army together. Close and mid ranged fighters."

"Really? I'm glad there's someone in the company I know." Sakura smiled.

Lee blinked and scratched his head, still smiling as red settled on his cheeks. "A-also, we are expected to come to attention as soon as the generals finish their meeting. So we might need to leave soon."

"No hurry. It'll be a while before they finish their meeting, I think, so we have plenty of time."

"Oh! Well, if that is the case… Gai-sensei is back, and I want to talk to him before we march. He should be in the same division, too! Do you want to come with me?"

"Well, I have to help this kid find his mother and uncle, first. And I should probably drop by to see Kakashi-sensei, too… Wait, if Gai-sensei is back, that means that Naruto is back, too, right?"

Lee shook his head. "No, not exactly. He is in the country, but he is still training with the other jinchuuirki. They are both supposed to stay hidden, after all."

"So we can't see him?" Baajiru piped up, finally getting Lee's round eyes down on him. "It's been a reeeeeally long time. I want to see Naruto. He's fun."

Though the question as to who the kid was had been on the tip of Lee's tongue, Sakura intercepted the moment first. "Naruto is an idiot sometimes, so it's just as well you don't meet him yet. He'd be a bad influence, and I doubt you'd find him _that_ fun."

"But he _is_ a lot of fun! He does funny jutsu and makes me laugh a lot. Okaa-san thinks so, too. He did a 'Sexy no Jutsu' and she fell out of a chair because she was laughing so hard!"

"Wait—" Sexy no jutsu? "-You've actually _met_ Naruto before?"

"Mm!" Baajiru nodded. "He's the one that told me about you! He was right about you being pretty and everything!"

The young kunoichi blinked her wide eyes, wishing she had known Naruto had met her before she left with a team to find them. That would have saved them some trouble, nevermind the mission to gather her would have probably been a lot more straight forward. "I see. When was this?"

"I dunno. He was with Hentai-ossan. All Hentai-ossan wanted to do was talk about books and stuff with Okaa-san… boring! But Naruto thought it was boring, too, and played with me while they talked. He showed me lots of good things. Neat tricks, jutsu, and stuff. The other kids at school were all real impressed by them when I showed them."

It didn't take much for Sakura to figure out who "Hentai-ossan" was… and, come to think of it, Baajiru seemed like he might have a lot more in common with Naruto than he did with his father. _I guess genetics only goes so far._ "I'm… I'm a bit surprised neither of them told Kakashi-sensei about you or Rin-san. And Naruto's always been a big blabbermouth. Kakashi-sensei would be upset to find out they hid knowing from him. Did Naruto know who your father was?"

The child shrugged.

"Sakura-san…" Lee's eyes were full of confusion. "…Who is this?"

"Oh, his name's Baajiru. He's…" She paused and swallowed, remembering how she first took this news. "...He's been living by Takigakure and training to be a ninja before entering the academy in Konoha."

"Wow. That's different. Most parents just put their kids into the academy early on. Is he in normal school?"

"Ah, yes, I believe so. Umm… Lee-san, what I'm about to say might surprise you, but I'm being honest."

Lee tilted his head. "What is it, Sakura-san?"

"Baajiru-chan is actually… he's Kakashi-sensei's…_son_."

The reaction was impressive. She watched as the statement came sunk in, seeing his eyes several times their original size and his mouth drop, and eventually he made a great "EHHH?" that caused Sakura to step back, as his voice seemed to have literally _doubled_. Then it occurred to her that it was doubled, by someone behind her, and she should look over her shoulder to see who else had stumbled into the awkward news. Without a doubt, it was Gai, his eyes every bit as large as his student's. The only perceivable difference was that his expression was framed with outrage.

"This child—this youthful boy—is my rival's son? A five-year-old… he's has had progeny this whole time and he didn't think to tell me?" He held a fist before him, eyes blazing. "Inexcusable! To hide such a blessing of youth from his eternal rival is inexcusable! I'll must find him and confront him about this…immediately!"

.-.-.

Sasuke continued to fret with the bandages wrapped over his eyes. Maybe they needed to be changed? No, it wasn't a "maybe", because it was almost grimy where it had been damp earlier near his sockets. But his eyes were to stay covered at all times, and Madara simply didn't trust Sasuke enough to keep his eyes closed during frequent changes. Still, there was some talk about keeping away infection, and the result was that the teenager would be constantly watched and guarded with minimal changings.

Zetsu—the black-and-white one, which Sasuke had recently understood to be an important distinction—was the one guarding him now. Sometimes he heard the plant-man rustle about through the cave he was resting in, and sometimes he could not, but that didn't mean he wasn't there. Sasuke did want to get out of here, rip off the cloth on his face, and go after Naruto. After Kakashi. After Konoha. Great, powerful Konohagakure, which owes its "peace" to the blood and tears of the Uchiha. He wanted to destroy them all with the eyes of his brother, the brother that Konoha had so harshly jilted by forcing him to assassinate his own clan.

He heard Zetsu crackling and rustling up towards him. Sasuke sneered in frustration; Zetsu's habits were coming to annoy him. "What the hell are you doing here, anyway?"

"I'm supposed to stay here with you while Madara goes out to war."

Sasuke kept his reply cold. "I know that. But why you?"

"I'm the best one for the job, because _you're_ going to need me. And now that everyone's surface-side, I can tell you something good." Zetsu chuckled. He sounded strangely pleased with himself.

The Uchiha's curiosity was well appealed to, for he bit back an insult he wanted to use. "Go on."

"Your bandages are coming off, soon. They'll be off before the others come back from the first strike. Madara regrets that he won't see the results himself immediately, but this timing will work best for our side" There was a little more high-pitched creaking accompanying a scoff, and Sasuke realized that he literally _heard_ Zetsu smile. "In fact, after this, Madara will have nothing more to ask of you. You will be free to your own revenge... depending, of course, on how much of your revenge is left after your job."

"What exactly is it that I have to do?"

The following chuckle sounded more like leaves rustling than a human. "You just need to take back a certain weapon."

* * *

Gai is a walking plot device.


	23. Beautiful Reunion of Youth!

Disclaimer: Somewhere in a previous chapter.

This fic has been running already over a year. Fun times, eh? I am grateful that I have had such awesome and patient readers for it. Who knows when I will manage Naruto to appear; I thought he'd get in here a while ago.  
Luxa: Wow. I'm really very, very flattered that you think so highly of my writing. Thank you for telling me.  
Butterfly: I accidentally a fluff? (It was on purpose, so thanks!) Ah, and yes, Kishi is good at letting little annoying things like that hang, but, personally, I can do with more delay on Sasuke's reappearance. (Yes, Gai is super awesome.)  
sayume: Hehe, oh wow. I'm tickled pink by that review. Quick answer: she is still Unmei; she just keeps her workplaces separate. I'm really quite glad my OCs, especially Baajiru, are amusing so many people.  
Prescriptio: Surround-sound Gai. Bwahahaha, such a fun idea.

* * *

Gai, in his infinite youthfulness, was impossible to deter from his goal of bursting in to wherever Kakashi was and confronting him about this issue of the child that was never spoken of. Sakura's attempt at damage control—trying to tell him that Kakashi-sensei didn't know until recently, that this was the first time the son had been with Konoha ninja, or that the mother had been gone for a long time—had proven no use. In fact, the only comment that managed to even slow him down was one that Kakashi and the mother might be sharing a _mutual private issue,_ and this only reduced momentum enough that he couldn't break into the appropriate room without closing earshot distance first.

As he stalked down his approach, they could hear the voices. Kakashi's couldn't be easily interpreted. His tones were soft and tight, distinctly twined with worry. Any words that could be understood were those of offering help. His murmurs babbled a while before a gnarring shriek from a different voice answered, "JUST SHUT UP, OKAY?"

Gai paled at the second voice and froze as completely as a statue in the hall, visibly jarred by the voice. Kakashi's voice attempted the same concerned entreaties as before after a few seconds, and this was the only sound for some time. Sakura and Lee looked at each other, each wondering if it would be rude to interrupt what sounded like an emotional argument; but Baajiru, on the other hand, was having none of this waiting around at the door and let himself in, and the wood panel clacked on the frame before Sakura or Lee could stop him from striding across.

At the door of a closed (and likely locked) bathroom was Kakashi, who was aware of the intrusion well enough to pull his mask up before anyone saw anything. Baajiru marched up to his father with as much outraged energy as Gai displayed a moment ago and glared up at him in absolute defiance. _"What did you do to Okaa-san?"_

"Nothing!" Kakashi's response was defensive, but he only spared a glance down from where his eyes were glued to the door. Apparently he was too concerned for Rin to think much about the accusation. "We were only talking and she began to feel ill."

"...Are you lying?"

Sakura had gotten to the boy's side by this point. "Baajiru-chan! You shouldn't speak such a way!"

"No, it's all right." Kakashi shoved his hands into his pockets and turned towards his guests, but he still looked uncomfortable. "He's concerned about his mother; I understand."

The stunning effect wore off Gai, and he bellowed into the already clumsy discussion with his eyes flashing and his shoulders tense and shaking. "Kakashi! I demand an explanation! Who is this child? What is this about having a son? And... and just who is in that bathroom? These shocks to my mind must be playing tricks on me, because that voice sounds like—"

"...Is that Gai I hear out there?" The voice came from in the bathroom. "Oh god. Just-just who did you bring in here, Kakashi!"

"They all barged in on their own!"

The mutter that followed from within saying "that's probably true," was drowned out by Gai's yell. "That is! That's Rin! I'd recognize those lovely, melodic tones anywhere! How many secrets have you been keeping from your precious eternal rival, eh?"

"Hn?"

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura pulled him aside, away from Gai's railings about cool versus youth, while Lee worked to sooth his sensei of this most recent blow to his ego, "You're already late to meet with the other generals and leaders, and you were excused last night so you're already really behind in the discussion. Besides that, I think the delay in starting the march is your fault, since we can't go until they convene."

"My tardiness is delaying the start of a war. What a convincing argument you present, Sakura; you dress up my insubordination very prettily." He looked over the closed door again. "Besides, my last teammate and wife just came back from the dead yesterday and she holed herself up and started vomiting this morning. I don't really feel I'm in any position to go to meetings, especially for something like a war."

"Oh for... go fulfill your responsibilities, already!" Rin's voice cried.

"It makes my heart swell to hear the chime of my beautiful bell again!" Gai wiped his green sleeve over his water-faucet eyes. "If she's even half the ravishing vision as before, she'd still be the most sublime figure in all of Konoha!"

"She's more gorgeous than she was before," Kakashi blurted, almost as a distracted afterthought, and looked to the floor to think about his next action as if what he said just was a comment on the weather. Gai, however, latched on to the comment immediately: his jaw dropped and he took a half-second of silence before he spoke again.

"I-impossible! Such beauty cannot be improved upon! Could she still be so flawless?"

"Not flawless." Kakashi was still only half-paying attention to his mouth; if he had been, he would have slapped himself. "She has scars on her cheeks that weren't there before. Tiny sunbursts, each in one in the center of her tattoos. I don't know how she got them, but they look cute."

"Kakashi! Can't you shut up for a second?"

"Hn?" He looked at the red face (whether from illness or embarrassment was hard to say) of his wife, peering out from the bathroom. The issue of Gai and the stupid things that were being said was dropped and he approached her. "Are you feeling better?" Rin moved to shut the door again, but the stride he took put him in the way.

"I'm fine," she said automatically as Baajiru cried out and jumped into the clot of people at the door to latch on her leg, "Now will you stop saying stupid things with Gai and go accomplish your duties? The last thing I want upon finally getting to see the rest of my brothers-in-arms again to be is a burden!"

"Are you sure you'll be fine? Do you know what's wrong?"

Rin was obviously annoyed by the attention, so she huffed and answered, "It's just a little morning sickness, Kakashi. Nothing to worry about." _That_ killed all conversation for about five full seconds of silence, with dead-shocked looks on almost every face except Baajiru's, who merely decided his mother was talking about hangovers (he knew those were in the morning, and had vomiting). "…Wow. Geez, I'm just teasing. Did taking a joke become illegal in Konoha while I was gone?"

"Considering the circumstances…" Kakashi sighed and let it go. "Nevermind. Rin, are you sure you'll be okay? We'll have to go out to march immediately after we convene, so it may be a while before I see you next."

"I'm fine, and… I'm sorry that I worried you," in a moment, she added, "And, really, I think it was only minor food poisoning. Remember: I haven't been in active duty for a while, and I haven't had proper updates in my travel immunizations in years. You know how bad it can get if you don't get the proper shots before even drinking the water in a different country." She bit her lip some and grinned. "I'll just catch up with Gai before everyone has to march off…Are _you_ going to be okay?"

After a short pause, Kakashi smiled enough for it to be seen despite his mask, and he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll go."

She moved to come out and at least give Kakashi a hug before he left, but her eyes ran over the line of onlookers, and she stopped in her tracks when she realized something wasn't right. What was it? Kakashi was beside her, Baajiru was next to her hip... then there was Gai with waterfalls running down his face, Sakura-chan hovering between smiling and looking concerned, Gai looking at the situation with confusion…

_Wait... on__e... two Gais?_

"Oh god, I'm hallucinating something strange. I must still be sick." Rin had backed in and shut the door too quickly for Kakashi or Baajiru to stop her. This caused another delay where they had to figure out that Rin's hallucination was just Gai's student, Rock Lee, and it took just as long after that to convince Kakashi that it was okay to go. When he did finally leave (looking as nonchalant as usual, but with a slower step) and Rin relinquished her position in the bathroom, Gai was the next one to throw his arms around Rin in a vice grip as he sobbed salty tears into her shirt. Rin laughed and struggled a little, telling him that one shouldn't squish someone who was vomiting just moments ago, but she was happy to see him all the same.

He eased up on the grapple he had her in, but kept his hands at her arms as he looked her over. "That bastard Kakashi was right! You do look more beautiful that ever!" He peered nearer to face as he analyzed, Rin herself blinking in a sense of bewilderment at the attention. "He was right about those scars, too… but they're so hard to see! He must have had time to examine you up close!" Gai let her go and turned, a fist in the air and blazing with energy, again. "Damn him!"

"I'm glad you're just as animated as ever, Gai." Rin smiled at him. "It's good to see something that hasn't changed."

"So… I'm as youthful as I was when we last met?"

"Ah… yes! That's it, exactly! You're every bit as youthful as you were six years ago!"

As Rin was occupied with Gai's reaction—pushing away his attempt to kiss her while she reminded him again she had been puking not long ago—Baajiru went to Sakura and flat-out asked who these weird people were and why they were here and what the old one was doing to his mom.

"I think Gai-sensei is friends with your Okaa-san," Sakura answered as she tried to make sure Gai didn't hear the "old" comment. "He just gets excited like that all the time, and it's been a long time since he's seen her. He's not dangerous or anything."

"I do not know, Sakura-san," Lee admitted only glancing over as Rin was trying to extract herself from his sensei. "I do not believe I have ever seen Gai-sensei so happy to see someone."

"Really? He seems to be acting the way he usually does."

Lee shook his head. "No, she is definitely special to Gai-sensei. Are... are you certain that Rin-san really is the mother of Kakashi-sensei's son? Are they married?"

"I…" Sakura stopped and thought on it a moment. "I'm not entirely sure. I guess they aren't."

"It's something that will require legal counsel," Rin said from the side, successfully out of Gai's grasp. "Depending on what Kakashi wants to do. So, I don't know."

Gai's eyes widened again. "You were married this whole time! I accept that maybe my eternal rival didn't know about the child, but this?"

"How many people do you know brag about being married to the dead?" Rin smiled and shrugged. "We _had_ a wedding in the Matsubaran-zan complex, but the priest and any witnesses aren't going to come forward for documentation any time soon. There is some paperwork that mentions it, and I might be able to obtain that paperwork if needed, but it'll raise _different_ questions. Besides that, the country we were in, Tanima no Kuni, was having a transition period due to their daimyo stepping down to avoid civil war. Any legal changes during that time period is suspect, nevermind that we were foreign citizens that were there without papers. It'd be easier t get new papers drawn up."

"So… you and Kakashi-sensei are not married, Rin-san?" Lee asked.

"Depends on how you look at it."

"Then I still have a chance!" Gai said seriously, "Rin, I should tell you... the competition between Kakashi and myself has continued since you'd been gone!"

"...Really? You have to be kidding. You kept doing that silly contest even after I was gone?"

Gai ignored the "silly" comment easily and smiled with pride. "That's right. I am currently ahead by one! Even if Kakashi has taken advantage of the time he's had alone with you, the score obviously shows who is more suited for you!"

Sakura had to watch herself to keep her jaw from dropping. That stupid rivalry was over a _girl_ this whole time? Baajiru seemed wholly uninterested in the conversation and squirmed in between her and Lee, then tugged on each's elbow, because he liked Sakura and he decided Lee looked like fun. "Hey! Sakura! Thick Brows! Let's go play!"

Lee blinked, glanced over at his (occupied) sensei, and back to the child. They really should be in their proper rank and file by now, and probably would be if Gai-sensei didn't decide to come here first. "I do not know if we can. I am not sure when we will need to go and we might need to leave soon."  
"So?"

.-.-.

"The Choukawa report, as you ordered." The Root member, still in mask, handed the thick mass of papers to the Hokage. She rose an eyebrow and looked straight at the eyeholes in the porcelain.

"A little large for a single mission, isn't it? Especially since this isn't supposed to be the team captain's report."

"Connected to the report, as filed by Yagami Rin, was a progressive report describing a virus, and connected to that some comments relating to Hatake Kakashi's medical review after the incident in Tanima no Kuni. It seemed expedient to bring all related files, Hokage-sama."

"Am I to suppose, then, that the reason it took you so long to get these to me was that you took your time to read them?" The Root said nothing and made no actions, so Tsunade merely shrugged and started looking through the papers. Glances through the first part told a remarkably different story from the one that Kakashi had told in his mission report for the old mission; Rin had different orders and information starting out from the rest of the team. This was no surprise, nor did it surprise Tsunade herself that Kakashi didn't look for this document when he took his ANBU leader position; he had no reason to believe that Danzou had this file, whereas Tsunade had a little more insight.

The second part was unexpected, but she was happy for the agent's initiative in retrieving it; it was a complete analysis of a virus that Rin herself had been infected with during the mission, and she herself had done this analysis. Where she only glanced at the first report (though that was the one she had called for), she took a more serious scan of this. Rin's descriptions were clinical and descriptive... to be expected, considering her background... and so detailed and objective it was hard to believe it was by the patient herself, and for Tsunade, who had to trudge through badly written medical journals with great frequency, this was actually as enjoyable a read as a novella for her.

The virus described seemed to have many off-the-bat similarities with some strains of human papillomavirus, but the differences were rather staggering. Starting off, its normal life cycle was a fraction of HPV's, for the average immune system seemed to clear out the infection within a couple weeks, though there was a five-percent recorded risk of long term infection. Unfortunately, it made up for this short time by dramatic and quick appearance of the symptoms. The aggressively cancerous nature of it could depend on several circumstances such as the patient's genetic history, their immune system, and the tissue infected, but there was no further study provided. Rin came out of it with a clean bill of health, and her analysis stopped there.

The third portion was, indeed, as the Root had described: these were brief notes about Kakashi's bacterial and viral infections after being returned from Matsubaran-zan, diagnosed by various observations, tests, and sample-taking. Most of them were to be expected, given Kakashi's environment for the three months period, but the one that justified its presence among these files didn't have a name, rather it was referenced by the report number given to Rin's analysis the virus from before and marked with an asterisk. There wasn't much comment otherwise except that the infection itself was minor, produced negligible symptoms, and worked through his system in only a few weeks before no trace of it could be found in tests.

Tsunade hummed and chewed her lip a bit. They were fingered by Danzou because of the mission in Choukawa—that much she had figured before. In depth reading of all three files would certainly reveal more, but just this last file had been the most eye-opening: Kakashi had been briefly exposed to the virus just before he was returned to Konoha, somewhere in the prison, and she had a hunch how.

"If I may inquire, Hokage-sama, why are you not placing Yagami Rin into the main forces?"

She looked up with her brows high on her forehead; she had not expected the Root to speak out of place, and had all but forgotten he was still in the room. He waited patiently, almost as if he hadn't just asked a question, and she knew that if she chose to not say anything, he would continue standing there as if nothing was said at all until she dismissed him. Still, she decided that perhaps it would be interesting to indulge him in an answer. "The captain who headed the retrieval mission was very clear that Rin's ability to work cohesively in a cell has atrophied in the past six years. This was to be expected: any psychological evaluator back in Konoha will tell you that a ninja, after being on a solo mission for a period longer than seven months, will likely require a refresher in group training. She shouldn't be put in a cell again for any mission higher than a C rank, let alone a war." She considered telling him the statistics, how that after the cell cohesion training was made compulsory for any ninja on a solo mission for more than twenty-five weeks, efficiency improved in the reintegrated ninja by more than thirty percent from older numbers, but stopped herself. The medical files must have put her mind into a _technical mood_.

"I understand this, Hokage-sama. However, Yagami Rin was a highly trained field medic. Will she not be needed?"

Tsunade frowned, not at his questioning, but at the truth of the matter that she was already more than aware of. Medic-nin were rare enough, field medics more so, and ones of Rin's caliber... they could make or break a battlefield easily. They were such tactical advantages that, after a field medic reaches a certain level of expertise, they were given strict orders during wartime to not let themselves get captured by the enemy _under any circumstances_, while their lesser-caliber peers were allowed to perform medicine as prisoners of war until they were released back to their village. This time the intel indicated that the enemy capturing her wasn't even going to be an issue. By most strategic standards, keeping such a trained and war-blooded field medic out of available rosters would be pure folly.

But the Hokage had to keep her mind in the problems of this unique situation. Medics were support units, so they are rarely in need of such retraining, and putting them on solo missions was next to unheard of. Rin had a son, and the son could also be a strong game-piece… and, more importantly, capturable. She had already separated from him once, thinking he was being targeted, and it was not going to be likely that she would easily part with him in this situation. But she did leave him at times and went on solo mercenary jobs to survive this whole time. Then it struck her; medic-nin were given more assassin missions in the village than the overage shinobi, and this statistic explodes if the medic-nin is a kunoichi. Tsunade wouldn't even have to look at her old files to see that Rin was likely on more secret assassination missions before she left than two lifetimes for even Kakashi, and most of them were probably while on missions together, unbeknownst to Kakashi himself. Those were probably the bulk of Rin's jobs.

The Hokage smiled brightly at the Root agent, who titled his head just a couple degrees, the only tell that he was confused by the smile she gave him. "You have given me a good idea."

"…I… Thank you, Hokage-sama?"

"No, really. Thank you for bringing up the matter. If you would fetch me the Kazekage before the main forces start moving, I would be most grateful."

He gave a bow. "As you order."

* * *

Bell – The most common version of "Rin" as a girl's name is with the kanji for "bell". Whether or not this is what Rin's name means, I figure Gai would latch on to that meaning if only because it's the cutest.


	24. Hanging Rin

Disclaimer: OOOOOOOOOONE. Two. No, just one. Also: disturbing stuff reappears.

Skull Prison got snatched! Yay! I'm so flattered! And to note: I'm not the first person to write the Gai vs Kakashi relationship as relating to Rin, but it's one that I had figured on personally without much trouble. Also, I'm glad you guys have enjoyed the diversion of levity, because I went straight back into horror.  
sayume: I am curious about this fanart you've found. The surname Yagami comes (apparently) from the myth associated with Yamata no Orochi, and I chose it way back when for Rin when I had a stupid idea for a fic. I kept the clan stuff even when I dropped the idea.  
Butterfly: "Papilloma" is actually refers to a kind of tumor (HPV is an _actual_ virus), but the Latin root word for that is "papilla" (nipple). No idea why that's so close to "papilo" (butterfly). And I agree that the seduction kunoichi don't appear in Naruto, but most of the kunoichi we've seen have been under aged, so I'm playing it off as older/old-fashioned kunoichi.  
Prescripto: Thank you. And I am quite glad that I can pique interest, since this fic is running soooo long.  
illereyn: Yeah, Gai is a pretty cool guy. And thanks!  
Krazed: Haha, he is an undyingly hopeless romantic. And I have to say I'm always impressed when you figure out some of the important details on the little information I give. It makes me very happy about the quality of _readers_ I have.

_

* * *

Four months after the initial three makes seven. That's one way to look at it. Another way is that four months more than doubles the length of the experience. Still another was is that four months—separate from three—is simply longer._

_ Four months exactly was what it took between the time Kakashi and everyone was released and when Rin finally managed to get away from her second imprisonment. The Kawaberi Complex was generally the same layout, but it was smaller and cleaner. There was an actual toilet, cot, and wash basin in her room, and it was a little larger, more like a normal prison cell. Protocol was different, because she was never tortured again, never saw a guard other than the ninja staff themselves, and she was frequently given medical exams, though chakra seals were maintained. The food was better, and she was given supplements on top of meals that slowly grew bigger to stretch her stomach back to normal. She hardly saw anyone except for who were necessary for the "project"._

_ That was the best and the worst part: Kakashi was gone. He was back in Konoha, and though she was happy that at least he could escape, she was alone. At first, she seemed to be doing better—conditions were better, and without Kakashi there to react she didn't have to hold back screams for his sake. But, though she had frequent exams, she had no one to talk to anymore. No one was there to console her in the darkness, to keep her mind from slowly drifting away from under-stimulation._

_ Rin still rarely had light in her cell, so examining the new surroundings with her fingers was her main source of amusement. Her exploration stopped when a new hallucination came, one she had not experienced before: a woman—herself—hanging in the middle of the room by a noose. At times, when seeing this, her mind would almost turn in on itself, remembering the genjutsu wherein she was hanged, which moved and acted so like herself it might as well have been her. This hallucination shook her more than anything else, because, in her less lucid moments, she found herself thinking that she actually was the one hanging and was having some sort of out-of-body experience. And, when she found out she was pregnant, the hallucination became pregnant, too. The Hanging Rin developed maternity in a matter of days, soon becoming so bloated and swollen she looked like she'd pop. Sometimes something would fall out between the Hanging Rin's legs: monsters, babies, children, insects... sometimes just a bloody mess of mucus with a cord._

_ This nightmare festered, and she wanted more than anything to talk to someone about it; she kept dying in front of her own eyes. But, the two staff members working on her physical health only spoke tests and development, and usually to each other; her mental health was only an issue if she physically hurt herself. The other staff members—on the rare occasion that she did see them—treated her coolly and spoke in wicked tones towards her status as a broodmare. Kakashi, her only friendly piece of existence in the past few months, was escaped and somewhere safe—fully under the impression she was dead despite how much she ached to talk to him again. So, she ended up talking to the Hanging Rin, because there was no one else to talk to, and it seemed to her a little better than _actually_ talking to herself. Sometimes the Hanging Rin responded in words, sometimes she just jerked and gargled as an answer, sometimes she was silent._

_ Once, during a discussion, what looked like a calf was born from Hanging Rin. It fell to the floor with a wet thud and twitched, sending tremors up into the hanging corpse through the umbilical cord. The true Rin watched in sick fascination while the calf's remarkably human face, smeared with viscous brown tar and drenched with yellow amniotic fluid, looked up into her eyes. Its mouth opened and began to move, intending to tell her something important, but that proved too much for her. As if afraid to hear what truth or prophecy the calf would grant her, she screamed and threw herself at the door. She didn't know how long she wailed and pounded her fists, and she was only marginally aware that she was begging the absent Kakashi for help._

_ The hysteria kept her crying out for Kakashi even as light came into her cell and arms wrapped around her. She struggled out of confusion, but a male voice urged her to calm down. A part of her decided the voice was Kakashi's and she began to settle, but she came to her senses only enough to understand that the person holding her was _not_ Kakashi and she howled again. With great effort, she shoved herself away, flailing and kicking. Eventually, she'd scrambled to a corner she preferred and took deep breaths to compose herself._

_ She found herself looking at an unfamiliar man, worry etching lines down from his eyes into a deep frown that sat below a black comb of a mustache, and ugly red marks from where she'd scratched him in her fit on one cheek. He wore a hitai-ate... Waterfall. Rin stared at him in confusion, then examined the room that was illuminated by the small light he'd brought in. The Hanging Rin and the calf-child were both gone without a trace, but there was a demonic face on the floor. It was Oniisama's facade on the white tile, with the torn straps of black fabric that held it pooled under it like blood. She stared incomprehensibly at the porcelain mask for a long while as her mind returned._

_ "Kakashi isn't here. He can't help you," the man said gently, and Rin realized that he had repeated himself a few times. Her eyes went back to him._

_ "You're Oniisama." she croaked._

_ "Yes."_

_ Rin reached up and wiped her face, finding it was wet with sweat and tears. Her eyes were hot and so sore the ducts felt torn, and she must have wracked her own skull for there was a sizable oncoming headache. "The thing that's hanging, it's..."_

_ "It's all right. You're awake, now." The natural voice of Oniisama sounded much more clement and human than she ever imagined. Even _kind_. Such that Rin almost let him touch her when he reached out a hand towards her shoulder, but she flinched away and curled up further into her corner at the last second._

_ "Get out." She sniffed and rubbed her eyes again. He didn't make any immediate movement, and panic seized her that he wouldn't move. "__**GET OUT!**__"_

_ He made a nod and rose from the floor, stooped once more to gather the mask, then left without a word. Rin didn't move for some long minutes, shaking and heart pounding like a heavy mallet on a drum. When she did move, it was to take the small electric light he had left and gather it to her breast. The searing heat of its glass surface was a comfort to her naked arms and the panic died away in time. The vision didn't come back, and she was able to think of escape once more._

.-.-.

"Why do we have to watch a stupid monkey?"

Shikamaru's frown went a little deeper with Temari's screech, and he couldn't help but agree. Order may be orders, but the Kazekage was going too far by giving them a primate to watch with little explanation. Matters worse, its curiosity was a distraction: it rooted around in people's packs even though it seemed (for the most part) to stay out of the way. Well, they were the long-range division of the army, so perhaps this "important artifact"—as Gaara had called the nuisance—would be less of a hassle to them than with a division directly in the front lines. Still, they needed focus, and it wasn't like anyone informed the other generals; war wasn't a game, damnit.

They had seen snow monkeys before, in documentaries and such. These macaques took over natural hot springs in the winter to keep themselves warm. This one in particular was young, and seemed to enjoy being a mild nuisance, though it wasn't in anyone's way _directly_. And it was smart enough to sense that it was being talked about, because it looked over from a scroll it was examining (who knows where it found _that, _because Shikamaru sure as hell didn't recognize it) straight at the two of them.

"That's right, she was referring to _you_." Shikamaru sighed. "And I agree. This is a pain in the ass. Why Gaara wants us to watch something as troublesome while he watches ahead for enemies is _beyond_ me."

It made a little primate chirp in response and hopped over to him, leaving the opened scroll on the ground. Shikamaru glowered down at it, but it only seemed to be a little confused as to his tone.

"Uh oh," Temari snickered and propped her elbows on the fan across her lap. "Looks like you got its attention. Better watch out; those monkeys can be fierce!"

He turned his glare over at her. "Ha ha. You seem pleased with yourself, Temari. Weren't you just complaining?"

"Hey, if I can't get into a good fight when the war just started, the least I could get is a laugh at the expense of my _favorite_ Konoha ninja."

"Right." He looked back down at the monkey and pointed a thumb at Temari. "Sic 'er."

It gave a high-pitched "yiiii~p" and zigzagged to her legs. Her eyes bugged and she dodged to the side, pulling up her fan in one swift motion. She pointed the end and the monkey with a threatening glare, but it only sat and made little sounds to itself. Was it laughing at her?

"I think it knows you're not going to attack it," Shikamaru said.

"Shut up. It'd already be dead if it weren't for my brother." She glared at it. "Who is not paying attention at the moment, so I could always blame it on someone else."

"Chi-ri-rip?"

Temari stiffened and felt her anger crumble, the tip of her fan touching ground with it. Shikamaru scoffed. "Looks like monkey children know how to manipulate adults, too."

"You're only two years younger, you know."

A call came from the side. "Shikamaru-san!" Someone bounded up and began giving him his report.

Shikamaru sucked in a breath. "All right, I guess we _do_ have a war to fight. Everyone! We're going into formation while the Kazekage engages the enemy! Sideways chevron!"

"What do we do about our custody?" Temari gestured over it with her weapon while it regathered the scroll, for _whatever_ purposes a monkey would have for a scroll. Maybe it was a ninja monkey… surely there are a few of those.

"It might be our responsibility, but the war is more important. Throw it in the back corner of the chevron and have someone else deal with it."

.-.-.

"The Short-Range Battle Division has been split up per Nara-san's strategy. I can't just contact _any_ solider in it, sir."

Kakashi made another attempt to shoo away Sakura from healing his torn shoulder, which was luckily the worst of the injuries he'd accumulated in his rampage. His ruined chakra reserves were what _really_ knocked him on his ass, and he was far too concerned with a list of other matters to care that he couldn't move his left arm. "That shouldn't be an issue. They were separated to give Darui-san support, correct? Kitsuchi-san would have brought mostly Iwa-nin since they are most used to his leadership. Ginzu would still be in the main forces, and so would their intelligence agent."

"The main forces are in contact with the enemy's infantry, and the nature of their infantry is drawing out their battle. If he's in there, we're not going to get in contact with him until they get support, Kakashi-butaichou."

"Sakura, I'm _fine_. Go heal someone else." He looked squarely at the man hooked up to the mobile CTCD unit, unsatisfied with how difficult the Intelligence Division was making things for him. "Let me talk to Shikaku, then. If the Hokage could send me correspondence _in the middle of battle_, I should hope he could talk to me, too."

There was a pause. "What do you need to tell him?"

"Ask him if we can supply back up to the separated part of the Second Division. That may kill two birds with one stone for us."

The information was processed. "He agrees that this isn't a bad idea on the surface since the other divisions are still in contact, but he wants to know what the second 'bird' is."

"He can ask the damn Hokage what the second bird is, if he wasn't by her side during the whole conversation already." The Konoha-nin in within earshot tensed, each perturbed by Kakashi's uncharacteristically icy tone of voice that seemed to have carried over from the battle. "My wife is out there somewhere with full equipment trying to determine the easiest and quickest ways to kill our enemy, and Tsunade thinks that _now_ is a good time to tell me about a virus. I'm going to need some answers and I'm _not_ in the mood for games."

"It's been declined. That this division must first heal up and regroup, uh, is the order from above. The battle lines might yet change before then." Sensing Kakashi rising to his feet, the informant hurriedly continued, "I'm currently attempting to contact the Second Division. Perhaps they can spare Ginzu-san while cycling troops."

The division commander sat again, though not entirely of his own will; Sakura had coerced Gai and Lee to pull him back to the ground so she could start healing. At least he was easy to make compliant for the time being, if only because of the fatigue. "Honestly. Does Rin-san bear with your stubbornness, Kakashi-sensei?" she grumbled.

This provoked a huff from him, which was honestly more of a response than she expected, and he continued to stare blankly at the ninja connected to the CTCD. The messenger seemed aware of the steady eye on him despite his own eyes being blocked by the device, and he kept fidgeting as they waited. Their commander _did_ just storm through the Seven Swordsmen with the thousand jutsu he'd copied; most of the surviving division was cowed into a respect for him.

The unfortunate intelligence ninja breathed out in relief after several long, awkward minutes. "I'm in contact with them now. Ginzu-san is there, and is coming to their CTCD unit."  
"Ask him about Rin's health last time he saw her before coming back, particularly if there have been any unusual symptoms he'd witnessed."

The ninja swallowed as the information went. "…The agent for the Second Division claims that Ginzu-san isn't answering directly, though he does sound very confused as to the question."  
"Then I'll be straight about it: Rin was vomiting this morning, without warning, and I damn well know she'd keep up with her own shots if she'd been acting as a mercenary. Hokage-sama informed me something about a virus that she wants to check us both out for as soon as there's a chance. _He's_ been by her side these past few years. I want _his_ input."

The temperature of the deadened battlefield seemed to rise among them. Sakura knitted her brow and tried to keep her focus on her chakra. As she healed her sensei, feeling his muscular reactions and his heartbeat as she knitted flesh, she was fully aware of how upset he was. It wasn't because of fatigue from the battle that he was letting a little bit of his anger surface… it was because he was so _furious_ he couldn't possibly smother it. This day in the war was already proving to be an emotional disaster by the enemy's Edo Tensei.

"Ginzu-san explains that he has seen no frailty of health from her, though he stresses that he doesn't live with her and doesn't see her every day, nor has he hardly seen her since he left Takigakure."

"Well, then," Kakashi's voice turned into mock amusement. Sarcasm. "How about _his_ health? Is _he_ experiencing any strange symptoms lately?"

The response was cut short: "No, there have been none, and he insists that, if this is a contagious virus, then perhaps 'Baajiru' would be a better—"

"_Stop dodging it._"

Sakura jerked away and looked up at him with wide eyes. The intelligence operator visibly cringed, absolutely hating his position at the moment.

"It might be due to a virus, it might not be. In any case, _Rin_ seems to know what the issue is, and if _she_ knows what's going on, then _he_ likely knows. He can say he's not a major part of his life all he wants, but that doesn't change the fact that he was _there for her_."

The wait for this response was particularly long. "He says he honestly doesn't know what the issue could be. If Rin knows, then she hasn't shared it with him. Then he stresses on the importance he placed on her privacy."

"Privacy," Kakashi scoffed, "Well, then, how about we skip the possibility of a virus. Rin might've even given me a little hint."

"Uh, sir?"

"Does he know how long morning sickness takes for the average pregnancy?"

"_Kakashi-sensei!_" Sakura shrieked, "You aren't seriously suggesting that Rin-san…! _She's not like that!_"

"Sakura, this isn't that sort of matter. I'm not _accusing_ her of anything."

"But, you're angry at them!"

He shook his head, eyes closed but brow furrowed deep. "I'm _not_ angry at them. Calm down and let me handle this."

"_You're _the one who's upset! You've _never_ been this upset, before!"

"Kakashi-butaichou…" the messenger called in the politest voice he could muster, "Would you please clarify what you meant? Apparently, your words have caused Ginzu-san, ah, _much distress_."

"I'm asking if there's any possibility of her being pregnant," he stated bluntly.

"He says…" A long hesitation. "He was about to say no, but corrected himself. There is no way of knowing what sort of work she had as a mercenary, but he's hoping nothing like that is the case, here… He now asks if you are sure."

"No. Tell him it was just a suspicion I wanted to make sure about." Kakashi scratched his eye through his hitai-ate. "And, really, I believe it's not the case, now. Give him my apologies for the way I've brought this matter to him."

"Very well, sir. Uh, he is unwilling to sever the connection, yet."

"What? They're in the middle of a battle, aren't they?"

"He explains the sides are working by attrition, so he could be spared a little longer for rest between circulations. He wishes to know the purpose of your apology… after all, your reaction _is_ understandable. If this is your _wife_ in ques—"

"She isn't in the usual sense. I wasn't…" Kakashi stopped himself. "We shouldn't be using this connection for personal discussions. This was a battle issue before as the Hokage has informed me she is being used in service despite the possibility of illness, and I wanted to be sure that this wasn't going to be an issue."

The man winced. "I apologize for speaking out of turn, but with all due respect, if there's an infidelity issue, it'd be better to take care of it _now_ during the short respite between battles. No insult to your ability to stay professional…"

"This," Kakashi was curt, but Sakura noted that he was calming down, "is _not_ an infidelity issue. Not with six years of separation from a marriage with shaky legal standing. I am in no position to judge someone who has been taking care of a woman and her child during a time of vulnerability." He leaned his head on the hand that had been rubbing his eye. "Tell him we'll discuss this later."

"But…" The informant sighed and transmitted the message. He could hear his superior try to stand up and step away from the whole discussion (and away from Sakura as she healed him, _again_, so she was calling for Rock Lee to stand by). After some time, his lips crinkled in confusion. "Sir, the connection is getting garbled. I am unsure as to why."

"What? An attack?"

"I don't… Oh. Give us a moment." He smiled a little, looking like he was trying not to laugh. "He's, ah, having trouble translating Ginzu-san's response. It was quite the outburst, from what I understand."

"...What does _he_ have to be angry about?" His stress levels picked up again. Sakura growled in frustration.

"I'm told his exact words were, 'That dense idiot. Rin loves him and has loved him for six years. I'm not about to let her settle for someone who...' and then broke off into a list of curses." The informant's grin took a strangely smug tweak.

Kakashi's eye went wide and his heart-rate stayed high, but he did visibly relax into a more normal state for him as he sat. "...Hn. I guess that just leaves figuring out what Gaara-kun did with Rin."

* * *

CTCD – Chakra Transmission Communication Device, or the funny headset thing that those intelligence ninja have been wearing. There's _no_ bloody way I'm going to write that nonsense out every time, so you guys get an abbreviation.  
I know this one took a while to update. I got kinda-sorta-maybe (very) caught up with video games and I went on a total gamer-binge.


	25. Red

Disclaimer: Chapter one.

I know it's been a while. The fanfic chapter was on a flash drive that has been made mysteriously missing (I blame my nephew), so I haven't been writing anything. Probably a good thing, since I wasn't really liking the stuff that I was working on, but it I was clutching on to them because there was still SOMETHING to them that I swore was worth salvaging.  
I did lose some original things I was working on, though. Including an awesome monster template I made for D&D. THAT much pissed me off.  
illereyn: Actually, Baajiru is just in a normal henge. And they are talking about that virus specifically, and whether or not it's actually affecting Rin now is the debate.  
sayume214: I didn't make the last segment very clear: Kakashi was told various information by Tsunade, including that Rin was sent to do a mission under Gaara. And actually, I have seen that fanart; it's for another OC someone made for Rin/Kakashi named Sakumo II. Very cute, though.  
Prescripto13: Kishi lies whenever he says anything in reference to Kakashi's year. But, hey, there's been a lot of Bee lately and absolutely no Sasuke, so I'm not complaining.  
elesi: Thank you muchly, though the status of Hanging Rin's return in the story is something I still have to mull over. Because if she did return, it would be _really mean_ for a certain character.

* * *

_As far as Ginzu was concerned, this was just another mission, albeit a long-term and highly clandestine one. The Dajare he had to answer to were a bunch of masks, but he was sent here by Taki. This was a duty to his village, even though the whole operation was under-wraps and in joint with other villages, some of which, traditionally, were enemies._

_He was the only one in this facility that actually had to answer to anyone higher, come to think of it. Everyone here had to answer to _him_, making him (more or less) the captain of this over-bloated and wholly unorthodox ninja cell. He was "Oniisama"... a name whose own pun and devil-mask had given him a comfortable identity among the other masks for the purposes of this mission. One identity he never had to think about back at the village.  
_

_He was Oniisama of the Dajare. This was a mission, as Ginzu of the Waterfall._

_He'd fought in the war as any other ninja his age, and a soldier understands duty and is a little desensitized from any empathy they might have from the enemy. Hell, that empathy is unprofessional at best when you get to this point. A ninja is a tool, ultimately, for his village, and the best way for him to show his loyalty is to become that tool. That's how wars are fought and won. Even treaties sometimes require more bloodshed than handshakes to succeed._

_He knew the faces behind the other masks. Officially, he wasn't supposed to, but he did have clearance to their files due to his position. And, even if he didn't, "Jiken" would have grinned his wide grin and showed the files to him anyway, and Six-Oh-One would have continued to take off his mask in private. But the others didn't know he knew, and they didn't know "Ginzu". So, he strung on his porcelain devil-face before he used the scroll to enter the facility in Matsubaran-zan._

_It was a little after lunch, and his first thought was to grab something to eat. That plan was thrown out as soon as he exited the transport chamber. No sooner had he strode out into the halls than he heard a great deal of commotion. A group down by a cell door was pulling someone out—one of their lower grunt guards that he never cared for—and he saw Side and Six-Oh-One hovering nearby. It was hard to make out what exactly was happening, but the smell of blood was easy enough to determine. Only thing he could determine from here was that, if a prisoner was involved, it _wasn't_ number three-nine-seven-two. Suguri Joubin still tended to give the most trouble out of all the prisoners.  
_

_He sensed Tora's presence by his shoulder and turned towards him. "What's the situation, Tora-kun? I just came in not too long ago. Did one of our prisoners make a break for it?"_

_"Not really, Oniisama." Tora's voice seemed oddly subdued, but due to the outlandish tiger mask it was hard to determine what his mood was. "Prisoner number four-one-six-five gave one of the guards an injury during a session of... _well_."_

___Number four-one-six-five. Yagami Rin, Konohagakure, ANBU, medic-nin, primary candidate for Project Momotarou._ "You've never been squeamish in the past about the forced intercourse protocol. You do_ remember that it's part of a larger operation here?"_

_"Yes, sir. Of course. I remember and understand, but the guard...his actions were..."_

_"You have permission to speak freely."_

_"He did something pretty stupid. Especially considering that we noted the particular prisoner will act up when she has the chance."_

_"I smelt blood. Did she manage a chakra scalpel? Will her seals need to be redone?"_

_"No... ah... he tried to make her-" Tora accidentally released a snicker. "-use her mouth."_

_Oniisama stared at Tora for a bit, then glanced over to where Side's shoulders were shaking with barely contained laughs, apologizing profusely to Six-Oh-One's reprimands. Side had the bad habit of over-apologizing, something he had to keep track of during this mission, but his nature was spilling out a little with the situation. Between the happening itself and the very human reactions of his subordinates, it was very unique situation to say the least. So unique that Oniisama burst into a fit of laughter._

_The others actually turned their heads towards him, surprised that their otherwise perfectly composed leader was doubling over. It sent Side into another piel of guffaw, and Tora followed shortly while Six-Oh-One could merely shake his head. Their howls echoed in the hall as the crowd dispersed._

_"That fucking idiot!" Oniisama finally managed, "We'll have to keep an eye on number four-one-six-five, huh? Since she showed she has tee-" He couldn't bring himself to finish the pun as they burst into another string of laughter._

.-.-.

Rin had already sent her last scroll back to Gaara, indicating the remaining information she'd obtained about the strange clones and that she would be moving towards where intel supposed was the base of operations of the enemy.

A stealth infiltration mission. Get in as close as you can, time is not a variable as long as ground is gained. Scout out paths. Do not compromise your position at any cost.

No, this sort of mission isn't necessarily normal for a medic-nin during wartime. Yes, this sort of mission is very common for a mercenary ninja at any point in time. Commercial interests always had a reason to send someone into a rival facility in order to gain secrets. Only real difference here is the likelihood of death if Rin was caught was higher. Not by much, and it's not like she was ever caught; even a constant guard of a sensor would have difficulty finding a chakra signature that was so slight and quick that a bird would be easier to track. Such are the benefits of medic-nin-level chakra control.

Hell, hers was _better_ than even most medic-nin. Five months straight of constantly updated chakra seals had some use after all.

The empty scroll cases burned her thigh where they sat, however. She would not be able to throw back any quick warnings. No back-up is fine, but the knowledge that she couldn't throw a message back if she got pinned did have a suffocating effect. She found what she supposed was Madara's base of operations, but even before she crawled in through a slowly self-made hole, she knew that there was no going back.

Progress was gradual, to say the least. It took the better part of the day to make any footage at all into the base, constantly on guard lest she'd come across one of the strange clones while they were melded in the earth. It was impossible to detect the damn things, and it would make sense if Madara littered the whole surrounding area with them, dirt and walls included. But that seemed to be a weakness in his strategy; perhaps he thought it more viable to have them on the battlefield, figuring the forces would be too busy holding them off to actually loop around and try to capture the flag.

Or maybe the base held no tactical worth to Madara, which seemed more likely than the former. But it was too early to really speculate on that; so many hours into this mission and she still doesn't know what to make of its actual value. Frustrating as hell, but there was nothing she could do about it except to trudge on forward.

Now that she was further into the base, outright probing with her earth-type chakra was out of the question, so she had to rely on the texture and temperature of the dirt she was sifting through to determine her position. It was getting easier to travel through, with greater amounts of hard rock among the soft, and generally warmer throughout the distribution. A thankful bit of information; she was finally coming up to a man-made wall.

She came up almost to the wall itself, trying her best to feel any vibrations in the harder rock with her fingers. It didn't feel like anything was on the other side, so she took a chance and broke through.

Right into the path of a pair of unusual, red eyes.

Even though it had been some years since working with Kakashi, Rin's training snapped her body through tactics when working against a doujutsu. She zipped out of the path of the eyes as quickly, throwing some small spark-bombs to draw the eyes the other direction. It was an obvious distraction, but one that only needed to act on reflexes; eyes would naturally be drawn to the sparks, not the shadowy figure.

It worked for as long as she needed it to: the amount of time it takes to get behind the other ninja. From this angle, she could actually catch a glimpse of her opponent. A young man_—_right at that age where he was still more a boy than an adult_—_twisted his head about to see her, but she kept step behind his neck and threw a kunai to keep him from gaining any orientation she might have taken with her sudden entrance.

Black hair, red eyes, and about that age... he must be Uchiha Sasuke. Gaara-kun told her about him, about how he'd betrayed his own village to join Madara. It wasn't necessarily in her orders to kill him, but he was an enemy that spotted her. He could not be allowed to leave this room alive, lest he compromise the mission.

The boy deflected her projectiles with a long blade and a smattering of relative ease before he jumped forward, likely to have a larger sweep to capture the intruder in a doujutsu rather than to merely gain distance. Rin retaliated the move by angling up his side and keeping relentless with her own attacks, throwing more kunai before pulling out her meteor hammer.

These kunai she'd thrown had disappeared in licks of black flame. This kid wasn't just playing around, either.

Rin kept her eyes trained down. His identity confirmed, the worse she could do is get her eyes locked with his. She threw her ball towards him, seeing his feet shift away as she expected, then hearing him cry out when he felt a hit anyway.

He thought her attack had missed, but that was the beauty of this one technique she'd created.

"At least you'll make a good test!" he screamed. Purple light flooded the room, which Rin finally had time to evaluate and see that it was much larger than she had expected, with a tall ceiling. A perfect place to train unseen. A nice place for a secret battle.

Lines of black fire erupted by her feet, and she was forced to jump away into his line of sight. She sensed this, and against the training Gai had _tried_ to teach her many years ago, she finally looked up to survey her enemy.

The torso of a god was building around him like armor. _Susano'o_. Gaara-kun warned her of this, too.

She didn't have time to think as the god pulled up an arrow to its bow. She forced her eyes down and felt herself moving slowly, far too slowly, like she'd gotten into a genjutsu. Had he thrown her into one during her chance look? Or was this the effect of stress on the brain, making every second longer in memory's perception? She slammed her hands to the ground in attempt to roll forward, eyes glued to his feet.

And there was a god-save of a revelation: his feet haven't moved since the _Susano'o_ came.

_"Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu!"_

.-.-.

Baajiru was quickly forgotten by any party that had to deal with him as the battle started and raged. No one was willing to give a damn about a monkey, even if the monkey was in reality a ninja in a henge. And it was _fantastic_. He got a front-seat view to a war, complete with flashy jutsu of every element and even some special techniques he'd never seen the likes of before. He was having a blast in jumping around and enjoying himself as he watched the fight unfold up until he tripped up on his first corpse.

It was one of the allied forces, a ninja that didn't have the benefit of full-face mask like the samurai from the north. His eyes were open and glassy, his mouth open, and his body... well, about _half_ of that was there.

The child was nearly stunned out of his disguise, and he gagged pitifully at the sight instead of reaffirming himself with a playful chip like he wanted to. Was this war? He knew there was blood and gore, and he told himself he was looking forward to it with all his boyish glee, but actually _looking_ at what that entailed...

He actually threw up a little in his mouth, and he wondered if his henge shivered at all from his own control wavering. Or whatever it is that henge do when the user is close to losing it. It just occurred to him how sheltered he was compared to these other ninja, how young. The only ninja he'd known for the longest time were Ginzu-ojisan and his Okaa-san. He had absolutely no reference to the life of a ninja before today. The memory of his mother coming in late one night, covered with blood, was the only clue, and that had scared him witless.

With a few jumps, the monkey traveled across the battlefield, pulling out a scroll from who-knows-where and fingering it lightly, as if to console himself. He'd stolen this scroll from Ginzu_-_ojisan_,_ who knows what it was for. It didn't look like a mission scroll, so it could be a summoning scroll. Or something. Ginzu-ojisan would be angry later, but for now, Baajiru was comforted by its presence.

One of his leaps didn't execute as he'd planned, for something gripped around his leg and forced him down into a pratfall. He screeched his offense and pulled himself up to see the offender. A ninja was looking back at him with a face wet and red with blood, most of it apparently from a head-wound and a flood down from a broken nose. Not the neat slashes on the cheek and trickles down the corners of a mouth like in the movies. It made his screeches silent in an instant.

"I need... I need healing..." the ninja choked out like his diaphragm couldn't push out air correctly, "Can you get to... a medic... can you inform... somebody..."

Baajiru wasn't sure if the ninja could tell he wasn't a monkey, or if he'd just assumed the monkey understood speech like any animal accompanying ninja would, but either way, he made a curt nod and a chirip in response. He sped away.

Where would he find a medic? Where would he find his mother?


	26. You Are Still a Child

Disclaimer: Chapter One. Also: potentially controversial topic is first mentioned in this chapter. If it upsets you, and you've read this far already, I have to say you have some silly ideas of morality.

HOLYSHITHOLYSHIT I FOUND MY FLASH DRIVE YAY! I hope you guys read "Skull Prison" (you know, the one that was stolen =D), because this chapter is going to reference it directly.  
Prescripto13: Yup, he's a nut. I just hope I don't get so into portraying him as a nut that I actually go _overboard_ ().

* * *

He acted like an idiot, no two ways about it. Maybe if he didn't pull up that itchy piece of cloth to look around with his new eyes, he wouldn't be in this humiliating position right now. Maybe _the universe itself_ was conspiring against him. Maybe the assassin knew he'd act rashly. In any case, if he took this seriously, he wouldn't be about to die just now.

Sasuke huffed at a lock of hair that fell in his face. It was the only thing he could do with his hands pinned in the stone floor like this. Because of this universal conspiracy and_—_let's just admit it_—_his own brash behavior, he got trapped and was now assured that he would die in the most _humiliating_ way. His face burned as memories of Kakashi-sensei's bell test floated up to the surface. It was the _same fucking jutsu_.

Being so sure that Zetsu, in every form, was gone, Sasuke earlier thought he was free to take a look at his surroundings with his brother's eyes. It was just by chance that his eyes fell on where an intruder was entering through the wall. The new eyes made her appearance strange: a light of chakra within the darkness. Whether she was there to kill him or for some other purpose was inconsequential, because she immediately attacked. And Sasuke had thought she might make for a decent test run for these new eyes. That was his first mistake, and maybe she knew he'd make it: he wanted to use clan jutsu rather than using Chidori or something a bit more combat-ready. And she sure as hell wasn't going to let up.

The second mistake was treating her like he treated most of his enemies. He was special, and stronger, and smarter everyone else, because he was an Uchiha genius with the eyes and techniques of the Uchiha clan. And... he _had_ been relying on his eyes too much, because the ninja not only didn't seem perturbed by his eyes, but knew to stay out of his line of sight as much as possible. She had training against doujutsu, likely even training against the Sharingan since her eyes wouldn't meet his. More and more, this looked like she might be an assassin sent specially for him. She wouldn't be the first one, and probably not the last, either.

Unless, of course, she succeeded, which Sasuke had practically given her to do with his third mistake of staying still too long and not taking advantage of her running about. He should have crossed lines of black flame, he should have just had _Susano'o_ finish her in one blow as soon as he brought it. He should have _shifted his fucking feet... _Fuck, she even met his eyes for a moment!_ Why didn't I take advantage of that?  
_

"I don't know who sent you to kill me, and I don't really care, but could you at least do it in a less disgraceful way? I'd rather not have the last of the great Uchiha clan die with his head poking out of the dirt like a mole."

He heard her shift above and behind him, away from his eyesight (an unnecessary precaution at the moment; whatever his new eyes were, he deactivated them when she buried him neck-deep since his ears started buzzing). Maybe she was getting out a weapon to finish him off? Or maybe she was going to use another jutsu to crush him to death in the encasing stone. "Actually..." Her voice was a normal voice for an older woman, but he regardless felt a tremor run up his spine. "...I wasn't planning on killing anybody. You just got in the way."

"What?" He strained his neck in vain trying to look back at her. He heard her lean back and forth in minor compensation in case he succeeded to wrench his skull around enough. "You _aren't_ here on an assassination mission? _What the fuck else_ could you be here for if it isn't to _kill me?_"

There was a long pause, which he had interpreted as an awkward silence until her amused tone finally answered him. "Believe it or not, the joint ninja forces find information about their enemy more important than whether or not one little traitor lives. I didn't want to get into _any_ conflicts. They hinder the mission."

Sasuke felt the heat from chin to forehead return. He was defeated by a ninja that wasn't even sent here for _him_. She might not have even had tactical briefing of his abilities, which made his defeat that much more personally degrading. He tried to struggle in his pinned position again, only to find his prison was still entirely unyielding to his attempts. He could do _Chidori_ without hand seals and use the opposing element to burst out, but he was in such an awkward position that she'd likely discover it before he managed to move. He had to gamble whether he'd get out faster than she could react, so it came down to one question: "What are you going to do with me?"

She had already walked away from him a short distance (he heard the steps) and she sounded to be turned away from him, but she certainly had to hear anything he said. This fact didn't keep her from taking another pause to consider answering him. "I _should_ kill you, if only to ensure my movements stay unknown for as long as possible. But, perhaps if you give me information..."

"...Then you'll kill me after I tell you."

He heard a short laugh, and it made him shiver again. Why? Her voice was nothing compared to, say, Orochimaru's in killing intent, but there was still something about it that was putting him on edge. "Maybe you're not as dumb as you act, then."

He winced. That statement rang a little too true at the moment, and it hurt.

"Look, it's not like I _want_ to kill you, but I'm not going to lie and tell you that I'm going to lose any sleep over it." He felt her drawing closer, and though he heard no weapon being pulled out, he could hear the slight whine of chakra being materialized. "I'll make it quick and painless. So, just do me a _big_ favor and try to keep yourself from screaming."

If nothing else succeeded, Sasuke mused, he'll at least be able to thwart that one wish. "_Chidori Nagashi!_" The electricity arced out from him, and though he felt her react to counter, the charge seized her limbs and he heard her knees slam to the stone floor. It was enough to pull himself out of the dirt and turn around to face his opponent. He couldn't count on her being incapacitated for long, so he jammed chakra into his hand and started up another Chidori to finish her off quickly.

The meteor hammer soared towards him again, and his reflexes kicked in before his brain did. He dodged it, but like before, he felt a slice, this time from where the chain sailed behind a leg. Literally hamstrung, he crumbled to a knee as she drew herself up. He tried to activate his eyes again, to see what this attack was doing, but was only rewarded with a sharp sting in his skull and dark spots in his vision, followed quickly by a brief wave of nausea he had to shake off. It made him visibly cringe, and gave the kunoichi enough of an opening to pull out a kunai against him. He deflected it with his own and ran towards her, energy chirping in his fingers.

His eyes were on the woman, locked to her eyes, making sure she knew that death was coming for her. And this was the first time he had a good look at her, without the violet light of Susano'o flooding the chamber or any other distractions. Before he consciously recognized her, his stunned instincts made the chakra instantly dissipate from his hands, and he tackled her harmlessly on the floor. It took him several seconds of staring down at her face to realize who she was and where he'd seen her before.

He knew this woman. This woman was a main character in a terrible nightmare. This woman was tortured and used for three months in a cell next to his sensei's. This woman was so bruised and dirty that her purple tattoos had been hard to see through the dark hole between the cells. This woman was supposed to be only a dream.

Strung up like a hog in a market in front of thousands of people and her new husband... This woman was supposed to be _dead_.

"Rin?"

.-.-.

Ginzu wiped his brow with the back of his gloved hand and scowled. This battle was not going well, and any downtime he had was plagued with stupid personal problems that kept him from properly relaxing and focusing on just getting some water and food in his system so that he can keep throwing punches without fear of collapse. Rin was on a mission doing who knows what and has shown signs of illness, Kakashi let his warped sense of self-efficacy put a shadow in his reunion with her, and who the hell knows what Baajiru managed to get himself into by this point if Rin isn't watching him. He should be more worried about the high concentration of both people from the Dajare and Matsubaran-zan survivors in one place. Or the state of his village's troops within this war. Or just sitting back and gulping down water from his canteen and staring out into the horizon until it was his turn in the circulation again.

He wondered briefly if this was how his parents felt when they were all out on war missions while keeping family disputes at home on hold. He could hardly remember himself what home life then was like, as the memories were easily overshadowed by the war. Besides, it was years ago, and he sure as hell wasn't getting any younger. This stress was probably his own fault for meddling in everyone's business, being the "big brother" to nearly every person he worked with, which had to be fueled by a self-perceived need to... this was _not_ the time for autopsychoanalysis.

He'd already decided that he'd have to get in contact with someone who knew about the disease Rin had been infected with before he'd calm down in that department. Unfortunately, the best candidate was Six-Oh-One, and he'd committed suicide not long ago. The only two other options were "Jiken", who kept the records, or "Side", who worked under Six-Oh-One though his own medical skills weren't much more advanced than first-aid. "Jiken" wasn't going to be anywhere near the battlefield due to his official position, but "Side" was definitely on field... albeit surely indisposed. Ginzu couldn't bother the man with personal matters while he had bigger things to worry about, like moving an army. He'll just have to suffer wondering for now.

As for these other problems, he had to remind himself that a lot has changed in these past few years. And they'll continue to change.

_"F-fuck off, Oniisama. I'm not telling you _anything_. Just treating me nice cha-changes... _nothing_."_

_"Because... __I'll escape, goddamnit. You'll see. Nothing will be left but a hole and a collapsed tunnel and I'll be out there_. As soon as I'm free, this monster you made me carry is dead_. And that'll only be the first abortion; I'll hunt down your mothers' mistakes. One by one."_

_"I don't like this _becaus_e you're telling the truth. Because I know there isn't a soul out there that is going to take me back. It scares me more than the thought of sitting in that cell forever."  
_

_"I dreamt of Hanging Rin last night. She was walking amongst the leaves of a forest, but her noose was acting as a collar. It kept her from walking too far in."_

_"Sit down, 'Oniisama'. Before dinner gets cold."_

"Oi, Ginzu! We're going back up in a bit. Take your last swig from your canteen and get ready!"

He gave a grunt of acknowledgement and readjusted his gloves. Yeah, a lot has changed.

.-.-.

Rin's brows curled in confusion. Her enemy had a quick finishing move handy, but dropped in in favor of a normal take-down. Now, she's vulnerable, but he isn't taking advantage of it except for keeping her trapped with his weight. And, on top of that, he spoke her name. She had to ask what was going on, but it's never really wise to ask your opponent why they suddenly stopped trying to kill you. He might just be insane and had forgotten he wanted to kill her, something that she had seen happen more often than she should during the war.

Still, there was one safe question. "How do you know my name?"

"How are you alive?"

Her eyes squeezed shut. "Okay, fair enough. I didn't die six years ago; that was a genjutsu at the Gallows Party, and then I was taken into another prison. But how do you know me? The two of us never personally met."

He was silent for a while. "You seem to know about me."

Of course she knew about Sasuke. Her little brother's best friends when they were kids were Shisui and Itachi, before Obito's death reopened the divide between their clans. Then reports she'd heard of Kakashi's genin students reached her. Hell, so concerned she was for Kakashi's sake about this boy's trechery to Konoha that she had asked Ginzu to try to do something_—_anything_—_that might convince the Uchiha he was going down the wrong path. That had ultimately failed, though she didn't really know what it was exactly that Ginzu attempted to do. He must've been careful; Sasuke seemed like the trigger-happy type.

"Gaara-kun... the Kazekage. He briefed me a little about you, in case I came across you during my mission." This statement was true enough. "I answered two questions, now. Is it your turn yet?"

"I... it was a dream. I saw you, and Kakashi-sensei." He went silent for a long moment. "Did that really happen?"

"Umm... sorry, what?"

"The cell... the torture... the, uh... the things they did to you." She felt his grip shiver slightly where he was holding her wrists. "Were you actually... did you... Fuck, you at least actually _did_ bite that one rapist asshole, right?"

Realization trickled down, and she actually had to stop herself from groaning. There was only one way he could know about that particular incident, and she he had to wonder why the hell Ginzu thought showing Sasuke a genjutsu of the things that happened to her and Kakashi was a good idea. Was he planning to scare the boy straight with a crazy, graphic dream? At least it answered a lot of questions for her. "I did bite a guard, and it was probably the best thing I ever did." That incident was the one that changed Ginzu's opinion of her, after all, and thus ultimately the reason she was able to escape.

Sasuke released his hold and leaned up and back onto his knees. "Are they all dead?"

"Most of the guards... yeah." She pulled herself up, vaguely wondering what she was going to have to do when this conversation ended. "A lot of people were hurt from across the nations, and the guards weren't ninja. Just cheap, disposable thugs."

"Did you kill any?"

"A few. Some when I escaped, one after I was out in the world. _That_ one was on a violent whim, I'm sorry to say."

His face tightened, like some of her answer came across wrong for him somehow. "What about the ninja involved in trapping you?"

"That's a different story."

"Are they at least dead? Or imprisoned?" He became more incensed, as if he was personally invested in what happened. "And why didn't you return to Konoha? To Kakashi-sensei? Fuck, he... he thinks you're dead. He saw you die! You were the last thing he had and_—_" He choked off with a strange look on his face and shot his eyes to the side, like he just remembered something important.

"You're asking me to tell you a list of long stories, and I'm in the middle of a mission." She braced herself and rose to her feet, keeping in mind that another fight could happen and her opponent might make less unwise decisions this time around. "So?"

He stared ahead at nothing in particular for a while, then met her eyes and nodded. "Right." He tried to stand, but winced due to the cut she'd made on his leg and fell forward on to his hands. "Help me up. I'm going to show you everything you need to know about this place."

_What severe swings in attitude. Ginzu would _love_ to pick at this brain._ "What if I try to kill you afterwards? I'm the enemy." She offered a hand.

"Feel free to try, but I'll kill you first." His smile was distinctively cocky, even while he took her hand to rise beside her. "You can't backstab me when I already know all of my allies will become my enemies."

"Uh huh." She decided not to pass judgement on him for the duration, but it only took a few meters of hobbling for her to stop him and point him to a sculpted rock to sit down. "Well, enemy or not, we can't have you limping around like an old man without a cane. That'll just slow me down."

He sat as she bid, and she pinched his legs through the fabric of the pants. He hissed from the assuredly piercing pain he must have been feeling. Without even needing to look at the wound, she did the handsigns and let healing energy flow through and mend what felt like a severe gash in muscle alone A moment later, the healing light dissipated and he tested his leg again. It was good as new. "You were able to heal that without looking?"

"What would looking have served? It was a chakra scalpel cut beneath the skin." She stood straight and this time let him stand on his own power. "Besides, I'm not exactly a fan of undressing strange boys in the middle of a mission."

"But when was a chakra scalpel..." His voice trailed off as he stood and considered it. "You... with the meteor hammer. You can't tell me that... the chains!"

She grinned, as if impressed. "My, you figured that out all by yourself. Good work."

"That's insane! To use a chakra scalpel in battle already takes incredible chakra control. But to use the joints of your chain as focus points...!"

"It helps that the chain is made of the same metal chakra blades are. Expensive, but absolutely worth it." Rin looked pleased, both with him and herself. "The technique I made turns it into a nice, bendy, serrated blade no one notices. Until it's too late, of course. I'm quite proud of it."

He shook his head, mystified. He'd never heard medic-nin making such blatantly offensive techniques with their healing jutsu. He'd assumed all of them outside of Tsunade tended to stay in medical units a little ways off from the front lines. "Where the hell did you learn such an attack?"

"When you're chained up in a dark room, you have to do _something_ to occupy yourself."

.-.-.

With the possibility of enemy clones among the wounded here to kill jounin-level medic-nin, Sakura was more than on her guard. Especially after her close brush with one. So, when she felt something tug purposefully on her pant-leg, it was _perfectly_ understandable that she would jump three feet in the air and five feet diagonally with a seventh-octave-E-pitch squeal and three weapons in each hand. And since it's so understandable, she shouldn't have felt foolish at all when she found herself squared off in front of a little monkey. But she still did feel foolish, because it was a goddamn _monkey_ that spooked her.

She attempted to regain a little of her pride by taking in the monkey carefully. It was still strange to see, and the situation did make it best to stay safe and cautious. She peered at it with suspicion. "What are you doing here?"

"Sakura!" he chirped with the voice of a little boy.

"...Baajiru-chan?" The little thing lept up into her arms and buried his face into her flak vest.

"There's a man that needed help and I can't find Okaa-san and everyone is fighting and there's blood everywhere but not like there is in the movies and..." He took big breaths at random intervals in his rants, trying not to sob and show that he was really shaken up but proving clearly just that. Sakura let him babble on for a while until he calmed down.

Eventually, he was standing on his own before her, without his henge, wiping his face with a twisted frown that was determined not to cry even though it was already too late. The sight struck her as heart-breakingly adorable... if not also simply heart-breaking. A kid his age shouldn't have to be in the middle of a war like this.

"What are you doing here?"

He sniffed hard. "I'm looking for Okaa-san. There's a guy on the field that's hurt."

"If someone's able to get to him, he'll be brought here for healing... but we have to be _careful_ right now. Even the medical facility is under attack at the moment. You shouldn't be near the field _at all_. Why aren't you with your mother?"

"I can handle it!" His voice was as scratchy as sandpaper. He was miserable and definitely didn't want to be there, just persisting out of pure stubbornness. "The guy with the gourd told me to hide in the army."

Sakura frowned dramatically. She couldn't imagine why Gaara could ever even conceive that putting a five-year-old in the middle of a battlefield while sending his mother out to fight would be a good idea. Maybe _he_ was monstrously strong at that age, but Baajiru-chan was just a normal kid and relied on his mother heavily. He'd never even stepped foot into a ninja academy, let alone into a raging war. She decided she'd have to manage a _talk_ with him when she has the chance next. "Well, I haven't seen Rin the whole time since I was told to report here with the medical teams." Surely a decision on Kakashi-sensei's part, because he quickly grew tired of her trying to force him to rest. "She's on a mission, isn't she? Did she indicate which division she was in? Maybe I could get a link up between you and her with the information crew."

"I... think she went alone, but I'm not sure."

Sakura sighed. Yeah, that was more or less what she gathered from before. It would probably be impossible to contact her, Kakashi was busy with his own division, and she couldn't very well watch him when they were on red alert even in the healing units. Oh yes, she would have _many_ words with Gaara. Kazekage or not, psychopath or not, there _will_ be words. "Baajiru-chan... can I trust you to do something for me?" Hopefully, this wasn't _too_ bad of a decision.

He tilted his head and looked at her in interest, and for a moment she wondered why this kid could be considered such a trouble-maker with such an innocent, blue-scrawled face.

"Could you stick near me and watch my back while I heal these patients?" She made a big, broad smile at him. "It'll be like a real mission! At least B rank!"

His eyes grew wide and star-filled, and a big, toothy smile bloomed out as his answer.

* * *

So. Many. Necessary. Interactions. I almost fear having to write them for the next few chapters.

Edit: DERPDERPDERPDERPDERP HERP.


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